Foundation & Geotechnical Engineering

CE-430 (2 Credit Hours)

Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering
7th Semester (Fall 2022)

Ch-2: Lec-3
Bearing Capacity of shallow Foundation
Instructor:

Dr Irshad Ahmad

Department of Civil Engineering

University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar
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 Methods of bearing capacity determination

1) Analytical method i.e. through bearing capacity equations like using

Terzaghi equation, Meyerhof equation, Hansen equation etc.
2) Correlation with field test data e.g. Standard Penetration Test (SPT),
Cone Penetration Test (CPT) etc.
3) On-site determination of bearing capacity e.g. plate load test (PLT),
pile load test.
4) Presumptive bearing capacity (recommended bearing capacity in
various codes)
We will discuss only Analytical Methods (1) in this chapter. Methods
(2), (3) and (4) will be discussed in chapter-3.

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 Limit Equilibrium Method

The limit equilibrium method is by far the most commonly used analysis for the stability of
geotechnical structures. The steps in calculating a limit equilibrium solution are as follows:
1. Draw an arbitrary collapse mechanism of slip surfaces; this may consist of any
combination of straight lines or curves arranged to give a mechanism.
2. Calculate the statical equilibrium of the components of the mechanism by resolving
forces or moments and hence calculate the external forces or the strength mobilized
in the soil (whichever is unknown).
3. Examine the statical equilibrium of other mechanisms and so find the critical
mechanism for which the loading is the limit equilibrium load.

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 Bearing Capacity using LEM
for (i) u=0 Soil , (ii) Strip Footing, (iii) Circular slip surface

Clockwise Moment about O Pult =qult  B

𝑞=  𝐷
Anticlockwise moment about O
GL
qult
D O

B B

Failure Plane, =cu

For surface Footing D=0

 Terzaghi’s Bearing Capacity Equation (1943)

Terzaghi developed a general formula for ultimate bearing capacity of spread footing
foundations using the Limit Equilibrium method. He made the following
assumptions:
 The depth of the footing is less than or equal to its width (D, B).
 The foundation is rigid and has a rough bottom.
 The soil beneath the footing is a homogeneous semi-infinite mass.
 Strip foundation with a horizontal base and level ground surface under vertical
loads.
 The general shear mode of failure governs and no consolidation of the soil occurs
(settlement is due only to shearing and lateral movement of the soil).
 The shear strength of the soil is described by  = c + σ tan φ
The collapse mechanism assumed by Terzaghi is given on page 9. Terzaghi
considered three zones in the soil, as shown in Figure on page 9. Immediately
beneath the foundation is a (Elastic) wedge zone that remains intact and moves
downward with the foundation.
 Terzaghi’s Bearing Capacity Equation (1943)

The movement of the wedge forces the soil aside and produces radial shear zone
and linear shear zone. The radial shear zone extends from each side of the wedge,
where it took the shape of the shear planes to be logarithmic spirals. The outer
portion is the linear shear or Passive zone in which the soil shears along planar
surfaces. Since Terzaghi neglected the shear strength of soils between the ground
surface and a depth D, the shear surface stops at this depth and the overlying soil
has been replaced with the surcharge pressure q= D· This approach is
conservative, and is part of the reason for limiting the method to relatively
shallow foundations (D ~B).
Terzaghi developed his theory for continuous foundations (i.e., those with a very
large L/B ratio). This is the simplest case because it is a two-dimensional problem.
He then extended it to square and round foundations by adding empirical
coefficients (shape factors) obtained from model tests.

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 Terzaghi’s Bearing Capacity Equation (1943)

Collapse Mechanism assumed by Terzaghi (Only right side of the slip lines/failure
mechanism is shown in the figure. Failure mechanism is symmetrical)
 Terzaghi’s Bearing Capacity Equation (1943)
The free body diagram of elastic wedge is shown as
B
qult
 A B

e


rc


fo
ev
C

si
he
𝐻= 𝑡𝑎𝑛

co
C=
al

𝐵
2
m N=
or W No
N rm
=
N
 al
fo
rc
e

l
na
J

tio
ic
Pp Pp=Passive force

e =Fr
(Resultant of Normal

rc n
& Frictional Force)

Fo ta
N
Contribution to Pp is due to the self weight of the soil , soil cohesion c, and surcharge q=D.
Therefore Pp is divided respectively into Pp, Ppc, and Ppq.

Pp = Pp + Ppc + Ppq

However finding all three components of Pp simultaneously is an indeterminate problem. To remedy 8

this difficulty, we split the problem into three pieces .
 Terzaghi’s Bearing Capacity Equation (1943)

The three separate problems are defined as follows:

Problem 1: Evaluate Ppc by assuming the soil has cohesion and friction but is weightless and has
no surcharge.
Pp=Ppc , Pp=0, Ppq=0
Problem 2: Evaluate Ppq by assuming the soil has surcharge and friction but has no cohesion and
is weightless.
Pp=Ppq , Pp=0, Ppc=0
Problem 3: Evaluate Pp by assuming the soil has weight and friction but no cohesion and no
surcharge.
Pp=Pp , Ppq=0, Ppc=0
This method of superposition is introduces errors but the simplification is conservative and does
not seem to introduce major error.
After evaluating these components of Pp (not done here), and putting their values in the above
equation of equilibrium, the Terzaghi bearing capacity equation is obtained.

qult=cNc + qNq + 0.5 BN For Strip Footing

(I) (II) (III)
Nc, Nq and Nr are bearing capacity factors or coefficients due to cohesion, surcharge and soil
weight respectively. They depends on the value of the value of  and on the shape of the failure
zone as assumed by the different researchers. 9
 Terzaghi’s Bearing Capacity Equation (1943)

(I) Term: Contribution of cohesion

(II) Term: contribution of surcharge
(III) Term: Contribution of soil weight below foundation base

Terzaghi used shape factors to make the formula applicable to other shapes of
foundations using the shape factors sc and s.

qult = cNcsc + qNq + 0.5 BNs

 Terzaghi’s Bearing Capacity Equation (1943)

For
Nc=18 =20

Nq=7.5

N=5

Terzaghi’s Bearing Capacity factors (Nc, Nq, N)

Terzaghi’s Bearing Capacity Equation (1943)

For
=20
 Example-1 (a)
Compute the Ultimate bearing pressure using the Terzaghi equation for the square
footing of width B=1.5m shown in figure below.

Solution:

D=1.2 m
Terzaghi BC Equation is

B=1.5 m
=17.3 kN/m3
BC factors for =20
=20
c=20 kPa
 Example-1 (b)
How much safe load it can takes for the factor of safety of 3, FOS=3
(Assume Strip Footing)
a). In term of gross
b). In term of net

Solution:

D=1.2 m
Terzaghi BC Equation is
In term of gross
B=1.5 m
BC factors for =20
=17.3 kN/m3
=20
c=20 kPa

In term of Net
(net) = (net) x B
, = 190.8 kpa (net) =
= x (Bx1) = 286.2 KN/m
(net) = 183.9 x 1.5
=> 275.9 KN/m
 Example-1 (c)
The net load coming from the Super structure is 300 KN/m, Find the width (B) of
the Foundation for the factor of safety of 3, FOS=3

Solution:

D=1.2 m
Terzaghi BC Equation is

BC factors for =20 B=1.5 m

=17.3 kN/m3
=20
c=20 kPa
)- D
=

=(

B = 1.68 m
 Bearing Capacity Analysis

Analysis Types

Undrained Analysis Drained Analysis

cu ,  u ,  c ,  , 
Effect of Water Table
No effect of Water
Table
 Effects of Water Table on Bearing Capacity of Soil (considered
only in effective stress analysis)
Effective unit weight of the soil is used in the bearing capacity equations for computing the
ultimate bearing capacity. The effective unit weight of soil should be used in accordance with
the table given below.

4 d1
D

2 d2

45+/2
5 zw
H

𝐵
𝐻 = tan 45+
2

2 ( )
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 Example-2
A footing 2.5x2.5 m carries a pressure of 400 kN/m2 at a depth of 1m in a sand. The
saturated unit weight of the sand is 20 kN/m3 and unit weight above the water table
is 17kN/m3. The design shear strength parameters are c=0 kPa and =40.
Determine the factor of safety with respect to shear failure for the following case:
(a) The water table is 5 m below the ground level,
(b) The water table is 1 m below the ground level,
(c) The water table is at ground level and there is seepage vertically upwards under
a hydraulic gradient of 0.2.

q (gross) =400 kPa

D=1 m
2.5m

B=2.5 m

=17.3 kN/m3
2.5 m s=20 kN/m3
=40
c=0 kPa
 The water table is 5 m below the ground level
Solution
First find height “H” of wedge

GL
`
q (gross) =400 kPa

D=1 m
Terzaghi Bearing Capacity

5m
45
+ B=2.5 m
H /
2 zw

=17.3 kN/m3 ,=40 ,c=0 kPa

 The water table is 1 m below the ground level

Terzaghi Bearing Capacity

GL
q (gross) `=400 kPa

D=1 m
1m
45+/2

=17.3 kN/m3 ,=40 ,c=0 kPa

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 The water table is at ground level and there is seepage vertically upwards
under a hydraulic gradient of 0.2.

In this case both 2nd and 3rd terms will be affected. In

addition to submergence of soil due to W.T, there will be
further reduction in unit weight of soil due to vertical
seepage.
 = sub - iw = 10.2 – 0.29.8 = 8.24 kN/m3. GL

Terzaghi Bearing Capacity

q (gross) `=400 kPa

D=1 m
B=2.5 m

=17.3 kN/m3 ,=40 ,c=0 kPa

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