What Is Soil Bearing Capacity

What is Soil Bearing Capacity?
 Capacity of soil to support the loads

applied to the ground.  The bearing capacity of soil is the maximum
average contact pressure between the foundation and the soil which
should not produce shear failure in the soil.
Why is Soil Bearing Capacity required?  The stability of foundation

depends on: 1. The bearing capacity of soil 2. The settlement of soil
beneath the foundation.  Soil behaves in a complex manner when loaded,
so it is important to know about it’s bearing capacity.
Improving Soil Bearing Capacity  Sometimes, the safe bearing pressure of

soil is so low that the dimensions of the footings work out to be very large and uneconomical. In such a
case, it becomes essential to improve the safe bearing pressure, which can be done by the following
methods : I. Increasing depth of foundation II. Compacting the soil III. Draining the soil IV. Confining the
soil V. Grouting VI. Chemical treatment
1. Increasing depth of foundation  At deeper depths, the over burden pressure on soil is
higher; hence the soil is more compacted at deeper depth. As a result it shows higher
bearing capacity.  This is applicable only for cohesionless soils.  This method is not
applicable if the subsoil material grows wetter as depth increase.  This method has a limited
use because with increase in depth, the weight and cost of foundation also increases.
2. 6. Compacting the soil  If we compact soil using appropriate method, then there will be
increase in its density and shear strength. As a result the bearing capacity of soil also
increases. Few methods of compacting soil of them are mentioned below:  Compaction by
surcharge load: The ground can be surcharged with heavy loads from aggregates or other
materials to speed up the settlement and improve bearing capacity of soil
3. 7.  Using sand piles: This method is very useful in sandy soil or soft soils. Hollow pipes are
driven in the ground, at close interval. This results in the compaction of soil enclosed
between the adjacent pipes. These pipes are then gradually removed, filling and ramming
sand in the hole, resulting in the formation of sand piles.
4. 8.  Vibration: Heavy vibratory rollers and compactors may compact a layer of granular soils
to a depth of 1 to 3 m. Using an appropriate roller as per the soil type to move at a specified
speed.
5. 9.  Vibro-flotation: It is a combination of vibration and jetting. A heavy cylinder, known as
vibroflot is inserted in the ground (soil) while the cylinder vibrates, a water jet on the tip of the
vibroflot supplies a large amount of water under pressure. As the vibroflot sinks, clean sand
is added into a crater that develops on the surface.
6. 10. Draining the soil  It is a weIl known fact that presence of water decreases the bearing
power of soil, specially when it is saturated.  Reason for it is low shearing strength of soil in
presence of excess water  Drainage of the soil results in:  decrease in the voids ratio 
improvement of bearing capacity of soil
7. 11. Confining the soil  Sometimes the safe bearing pressure of the soil is low because of
settlements resulting due to the lateral movement of loose granular soil.  Such a tendency
of lateral movement can be checked by confining the soil, outside the perimeter of foundation
area, by driving sheet piles, thus forming an enclosure and confining the soil.
8. 12. Grouting  This method is useful in loose gravels and fissured rocky strata.  Bores
holes in sufficient numbers are driven in the ground and cement grout is forced through
these under pressure.  The cracks, voids and fissures of the strata are thus filled with the
grout, resulting in the increase in the bearing value.
9. 13. Chemical treatment  This method of improving bearing capacity of soil is costly and
applied in exceptional cases.  In this method, chemical solutions, like silicates of soda and
calcium chloride is injected with pressure into the soil.  These chemical along with the soil
particles form a gel like structure and develop a compact mass. This is called chemical
stabilization of soil and used to give additional strength to soft soils at deeper depths.
The following techniques can be used for improving bearing capacity of soil as per the site condition.
 Increasing depth of foundation
 Draining the soil
 Compacting the soil
 Confining the soil
 Replacing the poor soil
 Using grouting material
 Stabilizing the soil with chemicals
1. INCREASING DEPTH OF FOUNDATION
At deeper depths, the over burden pressure on soil is higher; hence the soil is more compacted at
deeper depth. As a result it shows higher bearing capacity. This is applicable only for cohesionless soils
such as sandy and gravelly soils. This method of improving bearing capacity of soil is not applicable if the
subsoil material grows wetter as depth increase. This method has a limited use because with increase in
depth, the weight and cost of foundation also increases.
2. DRAINING THE SOIL
With increase in percentage of water content in soil, the bearing capacity decreases. In case of sandy
soil, the bearing capacity may reduce as much as 50% due to presence of water content. Cohesionless
soils (i.e. sandy & gravelly soils) can be drained by laying the porous pipes to a gentle slope, over a bed
of sand and filling the trenches above the pipes with loose boulders. These trenches subsequently
should lead to the nearest well or any water body.
3. COMPACTING THE SOIL
If we compact soil using appropriate method, then there will be increase in its density and shear
strength. As a result the bearing capacity of soil also increases. There are many methods of compacting
soils on site. Few of them are mentioned below.
 By spreading broken stones, gravel or sand and thereafter ramming well in the bed of trenches.
 Using an appropriate roller as per the soil type to move at a specified speed.
 Br driving concrete piles or wood piles and withdrawing piles and subsequently filling the holes
with sand or concrete.
4. CONFINING THE SOIL
In this method, the soils are enclosed with the help of sheet piles. This confined soil is further
compacted to get more strength. This method is applicable for shallow foundations.
5. REPLACING THE POOR SOIL
In this method the poor soil is first removed and then the gap is filled up by superior material such as
sand, stone, gravel or any other hard material. In order to do this, first excavate a foundation trench of
about 1.5 m deep, and then fill the hard material is stages of 30 cm. Then compact the hard material at
every stage. This method is useful for foundations in black cotton soils.
6. USING GROUTING MATERIAL
This method is applicable for soils where there is presence of pores, fissures or cracks etc underneath
the foundation. In this method, poor soil bearing strata is hardened by injecting the cement grout under
pressure, because it scales off any cracks or pores or fissures etc. For proper distribution of the cement
grout, the ground is bored and perforated pipes are introduced to force the grout.
7. STABILIZING THE SOIL WITH CHEMICALS
This method of improving bearing capacity of soil is costly and applied in exceptional cases. In this
method, chemical solutions, like silicates of soda and calcium chloride is injected with pressure into the
soil. These chemical along with the soil particles form a gel like structure and develop a compact
mass.This is called chemical stabilization of soil and used to give additional strength to soft soils at
deeper depths.

What Is Soil Bearing Capacity

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What is Soil Bearing Capacity?

 Capacity of soil to support the loads

Why is Soil Bearing Capacity required?  The stability of foundation

Improving Soil Bearing Capacity  Sometimes, the safe bearing pressure of

 Increasing depth of foundation

 Draining the soil

 Compacting the soil

 Confining the soil

 Replacing the poor soil

 Using grouting material

 Stabilizing the soil with chemicals

1. INCREASING DEPTH OF FOUNDATION

2. DRAINING THE SOIL

3. COMPACTING THE SOIL

4. CONFINING THE SOIL

5. REPLACING THE POOR SOIL

6. USING GROUTING MATERIAL

7. STABILIZING THE SOIL WITH CHEMICALS

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