10 - Soil Bearing Capacity of Soils

GEOTECHNICAL
ENGINEERING 1 (SOIL
MECHANICS)
10 – Soil Bearing Capacity of Soils
Prep by: Engr. Buluran

Bearing Capacity is the maximum pressure that the
soil can support at foundation level without failure.
Introduction
This is a key design parameter for foundation design
and also for design of retaining walls at base level.
Terzaghi’s Bearing Capacity Theory
In 1943, Terzaghi developed the bearing capacity solution for continuous shallow foundation with a
footing width B and an embedded depth Df under a level ground.
Assumptions:
1. Soil Shear Strength is

given by τf = c + σnTanφ
2. Footing Depth is
replaced by a
surcharge load (q =γDf)
3. The footing base has a
rough surface
From the force equilibria of these zones, Terzaghi obtained the following equation to
determine the ultimate bearing capacity, qu .
Ultimate Bearing Capacity.
Where:
qu = Ultimate bearing capacity (kPa)

c = Cohesion of soil (kPa)
Y1 = Unit weight of soil 1 (kN/m3)
Y2 = Unit weight of soil 2 (kN/m3)
Df = Embedded depth of footing (m)
B = Width of footing (m)
Nc = Factor of soil cohesion
Nq = Factor of overburden pressure
Ny = Factor for unit weight of soil
Terzhagi bearing capacity equation is valid for limited cases:
✓Shallow Foundation
✓Two-dimensional strip footings
✓No shearing resistance through the depth zone
✓Footing load applied in the vertical direction only
Several Researchers (De Beer, Hansen, Vesic, Hanna, and Meyerhof) proposed modified
bearing capacity factors, shape factors, depth factors, and inclination factors based on
experimental observation.
Where:
fcs,fqs,fys = Shape factors for different footing shapes other than strip footings
fcd,fqd,fyd = Depth factors for deeper shallow foundations
fci,fqi,fyi = Inclination factors for various directions of footing load than the vertical load
Bearing Capacity by Meyerhof
Ultimate Bearing Capacity for
different types of footing
Strip Footing Square Footing Rectangular Footing Circular Footing
qu = CNc(1 + 0.3B/L)
qu = CNc +qNq + qu = 1.3CNc +qNq + qu = 1.3CNc + qNq +
+ qNq + 0.5γB Nγ (1 –
0.5γBNγ 0.4γB Nγ 0.3γ BNγ
0.2B/L)
Correction due to Water
Table Elevation
• One more influential parameter on the bearing capacity is the water table elevation relative to
the footing depth.
Case 1: ✓q = Y(Df - Zw) + Y(dw)

dw = depth of water to the base of
Zw < Df the footing
✓q = γDf
Case 2: ✓Change γB = (Ysat - Yw)
Zw < B
Case 3: ✓No effect on the

ultimate bearing
Zw > B capacity
Gross vs. Net Bearing
Capacity
The bearing capacity qu is the

ultimate gross bearing capacity,
which is the ultimate stress value
that the soil can carry at the
base of the footing level.
Qu,net is defined as the ultimate

net bearing capacity, which is
the maximum carrying stress level
at the ground surface level.
Qu,net implies the superstructure
total load, which the soil can
support.
qu = Q u / A
qu, net is used for designing

superstructure above the
foundation and used for analysis
of settlement
qu net = qu gross – γsoil

x Df
Sample Problem
◦ A footing 1m square carries a total load, including its own weight of
59,130 kg. The base of the footing is at a depth of 1 m below the ground
surface. The soil strata at the site consists of a layer of stiff saturated clay
27.5m thick overlying dense sand. The average density of the clay is
1,846 kg/m3. A water table is present at base of the footing. Φ = 30o. c=
1605 kg/m2.
a)Determine the gross foundation pressure
b)Determine the overburden pressure.
c) Determine the ultimate bearing capacity of the soil.
Factor of Safety
on Bearing
Capacity
• Since the bearing capacity equations utilizes
many empirical factors and addition to
uncertainties on material properties and
spatial non-uniformity of soils, a proper value of
the factor of safety (F.S.) is needed to obtain
the design (allowable) bearing capacity
◦ A footing 6 m square carries a total load, including its own
weight of 10,000 kN. The base of the footing is at a depth of
3 m below the ground surface. The soil strata at the site
consist of a layer stiff saturated clay 27.5 m thick overlying
dense sand. The average bulk density of the clay is 1920
kg/m3 and its average shear strength determined from
undrained triaxial test is 130 kN/m2 and Φ = 0o.
a) Determine the gross foundation pressure in kPa

b) Determine the net foundation pressure.
c) calculate the factor of safety of the foundation against
complete shear failure under the undrained condition
(both gross and net)
Shallow
Foundation Design
• When foundation soils are relative strong and there are no problematic soils such as
swelling/shrinking soils, highly compressive soils, etc. Shallow foundations may be the solution
due to economic advantages in comparison with deep foundations.
Footing Depth Design Method
•Embedded footing •Foundations should

has an advantage of be designed to be
increasing the safe against:
bearing capacity ✓Against bearing
value by increasing capacity failure
Df. ✓Functional against
footing settlement
Sample Problem
◦ Design the dimension of a square footing to
carry a column load 1500 kN. The base of the
footing will be placed at 1.2 m below the level
of the surrounding ground surface and a
minimum factor of safety 2.5 is required. Soil
around the footing is clay with unconfined
compression strength of 130 kN/m2 and the
total unit weight of soil is 18.5 kN/m3. The water
table is at the footing base level.
References
Soil Mechanics by Punmia

Jain
Soil Mechanics and
Foundation by Muni Budhu

10 - Soil Bearing Capacity of Soils

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GEOTECHNICAL

Prep by: Engr. Buluran

1. Soil Shear Strength is

qu = Ultimate bearing capacity (kPa)

Strip Footing Square Footing Rectangular Footing Circular Footing

Case 1: ✓q = Y(Df - Zw) + Y(dw)

Case 3: ✓No effect on the

The bearing capacity qu is the

Qu,net is defined as the ultimate

qu, net is used for designing

qu net = qu gross – γsoil

a) Determine the gross foundation pressure in kPa

Footing Depth Design Method

•Embedded footing •Foundations should

Soil Mechanics by Punmia

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