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CHAPTER TWO
BEARING CAPACITY OF SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS
Table of Contents
2.0
Introduction ........................................................................................21
2.1
2.2
2.2.1
2.2.2
2.2.3
2.2.4
2.2.5
2.2.6
2.3
2.3.1
2.3.2
2.0
Introduction
A foundation, often constructed from concrete, steel or wood, is a structure
Figure 2.1: Modes of bearing failures (a) General shear (b) Local shear and (c)
Punching shear.
Relative density of the soil and size of the foundation are among the major factors that
affect the mode of bearing failure likely to occur. The modes of bearing failure are
generally separated into three categories: The general shear failure (Fig. 1.1 a) is
usually associated with soils of low compressibility such as dense sand and stiff
cohesive soils. In this case, if load is gradually applied to the foundation, settlement
will increase. At a certain point when the applied load per unit area equals to the
ultimate load qu a sudden failure in the soil supporting the foundation will take place.
The failure surface in the soil will extend to the ground surface and full shear
resistance of the soil is developed along the failure surface. Bulging of the soil near the
footing is usually apparent.
For the local shear failure (Fig. 1.1 b), which is common in sands and clays of
medium compaction, the failure surface will gradually extend outward from the
foundation but will not reach the ground surface as shown by the solid segment in Fig.
1.1 b. The shear resistance is fully developed over only part of the failure surface
(solid segment of the line). There is a certain degree of bulging of the soil.
In the case of punching shear failure, a condition common in loose and very
compressible soils, considerable vertical settlement may take place with the failure
surfaces restricted to vertical planes immediately adjacent to the sides of the
foundation; the ground surface may be dragged down. After the first yield has
occurred the load-settlement curve will be steep slightly, but remain fairly flat.
2.2
Terzhagi (1943) improved the Prandtl equation to include the roughness of the
footing and the weight of the failure zone. The failure mechanism in a c, soil for
Terzhagis bearing capacity solution is shown in Fig. 2.2. Terzhagis ultimate bearing
capacity equations are given as follows:
q u = c' N c + DN q + 0.5 BN
(2.1)
Square footing:
q u = 1.3c' N c + DN q + 0.4 BN
(2.2)
Circular footing:
q u = 1.3c' N c + DN q + 0.3BN
(2.3)
where Nc, Nq and N are called the bearing capacity factors and are obtained as
follows:
Nq =
N c = cot ' ( N q 1) ,
K p
N = 12 tan '
1
2
cos '
(2.4)
Figure 2.3 shows the variation of the bearing capacity factors provided by Terzhagi.
Based on this figure, Aysen (2002) proposed the following equation to obtain the
value of Kp in the N equation:
'
N q = 1,
N c = ( 32 + 1) = 5.71 ,
N = 0
(2.5)
= 0 ):
(2.6)
q u = c ' N c s c i c d c + DN q s q i q d q + 0.5 BN s i d
(2.7)
q u = c' N c s c d c + DN q s q d q + 0.5 BN s d
(2.8)
N q = exp( tan ' ) tan 2 (45 + ' / 2) , N c = cot ' ( N q 1) , N = ( N q 1) tan(1.4 ' ) (2.9)
In the undrained conditions (cu and
N q = 1,
u = 0 ):
N c = ( + 2) = 5.71 ,
N = 0
The bearing capacity factors are graphically presented in Fig. 2.4. The shape,
inclination and depth factors are according to:
Shape
Depth
'
B
s c = 1 + 0. 2 K p
L
D
d c = 1 + 0. 2 K p
B
'= 0
s q = s = 1
dq = d = 1
Any
For
For
' 10 0
s q = s = 1 + 0.1K p
'
K p = tan 2 45 + ,
2
when triaxial
'
B
L
d q = d = 1 + 0. 1 K p
Inclination
0
ic = i q = 1 0
90
i = 0
0
i = 1 0
'
D
B
'
to obtain
B
L
'
' = 1.1 0.1 triaxial
For the eccentric load, the length and width of the footing rectangle are modified to:
L = L 2eL
and
B = B 2eB
(2.9)
q u = c' N c s c d c ic bc g c + DN q s q d q iq bq g q + 0.5 BN s d i b g
(2.10)
Equation 2.9 is sometimes referred to as the general bearing capacity equation. In the
special case of a horizontal ground surface,
q u = c' N c s c d c ic bc + DN q s q d q i q bq + 0.5 BN s d i b
(2.11)
'
values, as
proposed by Hansen.
N = 1.5( N q 1) tan
(2.12)
Since failure can take place either along the long side or along the short side, Hansen
proposed two sets of shape, inclination and depth factors.
The shape factors are:
sc,B = 1 +
Nq B
ic , B ,
Nc L
sq,B = 1 +
B
i q , B sin ' ,
L
s , B = 1 0.4
B
i , B 0.6
L
(2.13)
s c, L = 1 +
Nq L
ic , L ,
Nc B
sq,L = 1 +
L
i q , L sin ' ,
B
s , L = 1 0. 4
L
i , L 0.6
B
(2.14)
s c , B = 0.2
B
ic , B ,
L
s c , L = 0. 2
L
ic , L
B
(2.15)
i c ,i = i q , i
1 i q ,i
Nq 1
i q ,i
0.5 H i
0. 7 H i
= 1
, i ,i = 1
(2.16)
2 1 5 . 2 2 5 . A is the area
of the footing base and cb is the cohesion mobilized in the footing-soil contact area. For
the tilted base:
i ,i
(0.7 0 450 0 ) H i
= 1
(2.17)
(2.18)
In the above equations, B and L may be replaced by their effective values (B and L)
expressed by Eqn. (2.9).
The depth factors are expressed in two sets:
For D/B 1 & D/L 1:
d c , B = 1 + 0.4 D ,
B
d c , L = 1 + 0. 4 D ,
L
(2.19)
(2.20)
( B),
d c , B = 1 + 0.4 tan 1 D
(2.21)
( L ),
d c , L = 1 + 0.4 tan 1 D
d c , B = 0. 4 D
(2.22)
(2.23)
d c , L = 0.4 D
(2.24)
For the sloping ground and tilted base, the ground factors gi and base factors bi are
proposed by the following equations. The angles and are at the same plane, either
parallel to B or L.
g c = 1
147 0
147 0
gc =
bc = 1
g q = g = (1 0.5 tan )
bq = e 2 tan ' ,
bc =
(2.25)
147 0
b = e 2.7 tan '
(2.26)
(2.27)
147 0
(2.28)
EXAMPLE 2.1
Given the data in Fig. E2.1, determine the ultimate bearing capacity qu using:
a)Terzaghis, b) Meyerhofs and c) Hansens bearing capacity equations.
EAMPLE 2.3
A square footing 1.5 m is to be constructed in sand with c = 0,
of the footing is 0.45 m and its top surface is level with the horizontal ground surface.
The footing is subjected to a central vertical force of 700 kN and a central horizontal
force (parallel to the sides) of 210 kN. Find the ultimate bearing capacity by a)
Meyerhofs and b) Hansens equations. (Note that Terzaghis equations are not
applicable for inclined loads). The unit weight of the sand is 18 kN/m3.
to the vertical stress of the soil above the base of the footing. The last term
refers
to the vertical stress of a soil mass of thickness B, below the base of the footing. You
need to check which one of the three groundwater situations is applicable to your
project.
Situation 1: Groundwater level at a depth B below the base of the footing. In this
case no modification of the bearing capacity equations is required.
Situation 2: Groundwater level within a depth B below the base of the footing. If
the groundwater level is at a depth z below the base, such that z < B, then the term
B is z + ' ( B z )
or
sat z + ' ( B z ) .
remains unchanged.
z + ' ( D z )
is
or sat z + ' ( D z ) . The latter equation is used if the soil above the
becomes ' B .
EAMPLE 2.4
Re-do example 2.3 assuming that the groundwater level is at the footing level (0.45 m
below the ground surface). The saturated unit weight is 21 kN/m3.
2.2.5 Allowable bearing capacity and factor of safety
The allowable bearing capacity, qa is calculated by dividing the ultimate bearing
capacity by a factor, called the factor of safety, FS. The FS is intended to compensate
for assumptions made in developing the bearing capacity equations, soil variability,
inaccurate soil data, and uncertainties of loads. The magnitude of FS applied to the
ultimate bearing capacity may be between 2 and 3. The allowable bearing capacity is:
qa =
qu
FS
(2.29)
dimension of the footing is also known then you can find a factor of safety by replacing
qa by
FS =
qu
( a ) max
(2.30)
Figure A1
He proposed that for a rectangular footing of width B and length L, the base area
should be modified with the following dimensions:
B = B 2eB and L =L - 2eL
(1)
Where B and L are the modified width and length, eB and eL are the eccentricities in
the directions of the width and length, respectively. From your course in mechanics
you should recall that
eB =
My
P
and
eL =
Mx
P
(2)
where P is the vertical load, and My and Mx are the moments about the y and x axes,
respectively, as shown in Fig. A1.
The maximum and minimum vertical stresses along the x axis are:
max =
P 6e B
P 6e B
1 +
and min =
1
BL
B
BL
B
(3)
P 6e L
P 6e L
1 +
and min =
1
BL
B
BL
B
(4)
max =
min
should always be
greater than zero. Therefore, eB & eL should always be less than B/6 & L/6, respectively.
The bearing capacity equations are modified for eccentric loads by replacing B with B.
EXAMPLE 2.5
A footing 2 m square is located at a depth of 1 m below the ground surface in a deep
deposit of compacted sand,
' =300,
c=0, and
sat
subjected to a vertical load of 500 kN and a moment about the Y-axis of 125 kNm.
The ground water table is 5 m below the ground surface. Use Meyerhofs bearing
capacity equation and calculate the factor of safety. Assume the soil above the ground
water is also saturated.
2.3
Field Tests
Often, it is difficult to obtain undisturbed samples of especially coarse-grained
soils for laboratory testing and one has to use results from field tests to determine the
bearing capacity of shallow foundations. Some of the most common methods used for
field tests are briefly described below.
2.3.1 Plate Loading Test
Tests on full sized footings are desirable but expensive. The alternative is to
carry out plate loading tests. The plate loading test is carried out to estimate the
bearing capacity of single footings. The plates that are used in the field are usually
made of steel and are 25 mm thick and 150 mm to 762 mm in diameter. A circular
plate of 300 mm is commonly used in practice. Occasionally, square plates that are
300 mm300 mm are also used.
To conduct a plate load test, a hole is excavated (Fig. 2.8) with a minimum
diameter 4BP (BP = diameter of the test plate) to a depth of D (D = depth of the
proposed foundation). The plate is placed at the center of the hole. Load is applied to
the plate in increments of 10% to 20% of the estimated ultimate load. Each load
increment is held until settlement ceases. The final settlement at the end of each
loading increment is recorded. The test should be conducted until the soil fails, or at
least until the plate has gone through 25 mm of settlement.
qu ( F ) = qu ( P )
(2.31)
where qu(F) & qu(P) are ultimate bearing capacity of foundation and plate, respectively.
Eqn. (2.31) implies that the bearing capacity in clays is independent of plate size.
For tests in sandy soil,
q u ( F ) = qu ( P )
BF
Bp
(2.32)
95.8
c N = ' ; c N 2 (Liao and Whitman, 1985)
z0
(2.33)
1916
c N = 0.77 log10 ' ; c N 2, z' 0 > 24 kPa (Peck et al., 1974)
z0
(2.34)
z' 0
is the effective
cW =
1
z
+
2 2( D + B )
(2.35)
where z is the depth to the groundwater table, and D and B are the footing depth and
width. If the depth of the groundwater table is beyond B from the footing base cW = 1.
The corrected N value is:
N cor = c N cW N
Meyerhof (1956, 1974) proposed the following equations to determine the allowable
bearing capacity qa from SPT values.
qa =
12
S e N cor k d
25
B 1.22 m
8
B + 0.305
S e N cor
kd
25
B
(2.36)
qa =
B > 1.22 m
(2.37)
qa =
20
S e N cor k d
25
B 1.22 m
12.5
B + 0.305
S e N cor
kd
25
B
(2.36)
qa =
B > 1.22 m
(2.37)