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Chapter Three: Bearing Capacity of Shallow Foundations

Examples

1. A footing 2.5m square is placed at a depth of 1.5m in a sand soil. The saturated and moist
unit weights of the sand are 20 and 17kN/m3, respectively. The shear strength parameters
are c = 0 and ϕ = 400. Using Terzaghi bearing capacity theory and general shear failure,
determine the ultimate and allowable bearing capacity of soil for the following cases. Use
FS = 3.0.
a. When water table is 2.5m below base level of footing.
b. When water table is 1m below base level of footing.
c. When footing is at the base level of the footing.
d. When water table is 1m above base level of footing.
e. When water table is at ground level

Table: Terzaghi’s Bearing-Capacity Factors Nc , Nq and N

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Solution

a) When water table is 2.5m below base level of footing.

In this case, since the GWT level is at depth equal to or greater than width of the foundation
below the base of the footing, the bearing capacity of soil is not affected.

Since the footing is square, Terzaghi’s bearing capacity equation for square footing is used.

In this problem the soil type given is sand which is cohesionless soil, i.e. c = 0.

Therefore qu = γDf Nq + 0.4BγNγ

Determine bearing capacity factors.

From the table above for ϕ = 400 , Nq = 81.27 and Nγ = 116.31

Ultimate bearing capacity of the soil is:

qu = 17 ∗ 1.5 ∗ 81.27 + 0.4 ∗ 2.5 ∗ 17 ∗ 116.31 = 𝟒𝟎𝟒𝟗. 𝟔𝟔𝐤𝐩𝐚

Now, allowable bearing capacity of soil is:

qu 4049.66
qall = = = 𝟏𝟑𝟒𝟗. 𝟖𝟗𝐤𝐩𝐚
FS 3

b) The water table is 1m below base level of footing.

In this case use γ(avg) in the third term of bearing capacity equation.

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Therefore,
qu = γDf Nq + 0.4Bγ(avg) Nγ

1
γavg = [17 ∗ 1 + (20 − 9.81) ∗ 1.5] = 12.91 kN⁄m3
2.5

qu = 17 ∗ 1.5 ∗ 81.27 + 0.4 ∗ 2.5 ∗ 12.91 ∗ 116.31 = 𝟑𝟓𝟕𝟑. 𝟗𝟓𝐤𝐩𝐚

Now, allowable bearing capacity of soil is:

qu 3573.95
qall = = = 𝟏𝟏𝟗𝟏. 𝟑𝟐𝐤𝐩𝐚
FS 3

c) The water table is at the base level of footing.

In this case only unit weight in the third term of bearing capacity equation is affected i.e. use
effective unit weight.

qu = γDf Nq + 0.4Bγ′Nγ

Therefore, below base of footing, γ′ = γsat − γw = 20 − 9.81 = 10.19kN/m3

qu = 17 ∗ 1.5 ∗ 81.27 + 0.4 ∗ 2.5 ∗ 10.19 ∗ 116.31 = 𝟑𝟐𝟓𝟕. 𝟓𝟖𝐤𝐩𝐚

Now, allowable bearing capacity of soil is:

qu 3257.58
qall = = = 𝟏𝟎𝟖𝟓. 𝟖𝟔𝐤𝐩𝐚
FS 3

d) The water table is 1m above base level of footing

In this case, effective overburden above the base level is determined as;

q = q′o = γ ∗ (Df − 1) + γ′ ∗ 1 = 17 ∗ (1.5 − 1) + (20 − 9.81) ∗ 1 = 18.69kpa

And use γ′ in the third term of bearing capacity equation.

Therefore,

qu = qNq + 0.4Bγ′Nγ

qu = 18.69 ∗ 81.27 + 0.4 ∗ 2.5 ∗ 10.19 ∗ 116.31 = 𝟐𝟕𝟎𝟒. 𝟏𝟒𝐤𝐩𝐚

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Now, allowable bearing capacity of soil is:

qu 2704.14
qall = = = 𝟗𝟎𝟏. 𝟑𝟖𝐤𝐩𝐚
FS 3

e) The water table is at ground level

In this case, use effective unit weight of soil both in the second and third terms of bearing capacity
equation.

qu = γ′Df Nq + 0.4Bγ′Nγ

qu = 10.19 ∗ 1.5 ∗ 81.27 + 0.4 ∗ 2.5 ∗ 10.19 ∗ 116.31 = 𝟐𝟒𝟐𝟕. 𝟒𝟏𝐤𝐩𝐚

Now, allowable bearing capacity of soil is:

qu 2427.41
qall = = = 𝟖𝟎𝟗. 𝟏𝟒𝐤𝐩𝐚
FS 3

2. A design requires placing a square foundation at 1.0m depth to carry a column load
of 1500kN. The soil properties are: c′ = 15 kN⁄m2 , 𝜙 ′ = 240 and 𝛾 = 18.515 kN⁄m3 .
Using Terzaghi’s bearing capacity equation, what should be the width, B of the foundation
if FS = 3.0 is used?
Solution
For square foundation, qu is given by
qu = 1.3c ′ Nc + qNq + 0.4BγNγ

Determine bearing capacity factors

For ϕ′ = 240 , Nc = 23.36, Nq = 11.4, and Nγ = 7.08. So;

qu = 1.3(15)(23.36) + (18.5x1)(11.4) + (0.4)(B)(18.5)(7.08)

qu = 52.4B + 666.4

But allowable bearing capacity of the foundation is given as;

qu 52.4B + 666.4
qall = = = 17.5B + 222.1
FS 3

The maximum applied pressure, σmax to the foundation soil is given as

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P P P 1500
σmax = = = 2= 2
Area of footing B ∗ B B B

But σmax ≤ qall

Therefore,

1500
= 17.5B + 222.1
B2

→ 17.5B2 + 222.1B − 1500 = 0

By using trial and error, 𝐁 = 𝟐. 𝟒𝐦

3. For the soil profile is given below, determine the ultimate and allowable bearing capacity
of the isolated rectangular footing (2m x 2.3m) that subjected to a vertical load (425kN)
and moment (85kN.m) using Meyerhof bearing capacity equation if FS=3. Saturated unit
weight of the soil is 19kN/m3.

Solution

Since the footing is subjected to moment in addition to axial loads, there is eccentricity, e.
Therefore;

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M 85
eB = = = 0.2m
P 425

So effective width, B ′ = B − 2eB = 2m − 2(0.2m) = 1.6m

Ultimate bearing capacity of soil using Meyerhof’s bearing capacity equation is;

qu =cNc sc ic dc + DNq sq iq dq + 0.5B′′N s i d

Determine bearing capacity factors


Nq = tan2 (45 + ⁄2) etan = tan2 (45 + 20⁄2)eπtan20 = 6.40

Nc = (Nq − 1)cot = (6.4 − 1)cot20 = 14.84

N = 2(Nq + 1) tan ϕ = 2(6.4 + 1) tan(20) = 5.39

If we use Meyerhof’s equation, use B′ in the last term to get uniform pressure in this width.

Determine shape, depth and inclination factors

Shape factors;

In calculating shape factors, use B′ and L′ because we concerned about the shape of the footing
that make pressure uniform.

For ϕ′ ≥ 100

sc = 1 + 0.2(B′⁄L)tan2 (45 + ϕ′⁄2) = 1 + 0.2(1.6⁄2.3)tan2 (45 + 20⁄2) = 1.284

sq = sγ = 1 + 0.1(B′⁄L)tan2 (45 + ϕ′⁄2) = 1 + 0.1(1.6⁄2.3)tan2 (45 + 20⁄2) = 1.142
Depth factors;

In calculating depth factors use original width, B not B′. because, as the value of B decreases, the
depth factors will increase and then the value of qu increase, so for more safety we use larger value
of width to decrease the depth factors and thereby decrease qu (i.e. more safe).

For ϕ′ ≥ 100

dc = 1 + 0.2(Df ⁄B)tan2 (45 + ϕ′⁄2) = 1 + 0.2(1.5⁄2)tan2 (45 + 20⁄2) = 1.306

dq = dγ = 1 + 0.1(Df ⁄B)tan2 (45 + ϕ′⁄2) = 1 + 0.1(1.5⁄2)tan2 (45 + 20⁄2) = 1.153

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Inclination factors
Here, since the given footing is vertical, α = 0. So ic = iq = iγ = 1.
qu = [(35)(14.84)(1.284)(1.306)] + [(16)(1.5)(6.4)(1.142)(1.153)]
+ [0.5(1.6)(9.19)(5.39)(1.142)(1.153)] = 𝟏𝟏𝟐𝟓. 𝟒𝟏 𝐤𝐍⁄𝐦𝟐
Allowable bearing capacity for FS = 3.0 given;
qu 1125.41
qall = = = 𝟑𝟕𝟓. 𝟏𝟒 𝐤𝐍⁄𝐦𝟐
FS 3

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