OVERVIEW

The Bearing Capacity Spreadsheet calculates the total and allowable bearing capacities for soil below a pad footing and uses an iterative
calculation based on the maximum allowable bearing pressure to solve for the minimum allowable footing width.

In order to determine minimum footing width allowable settlements should also be checked.

BASIC OPERATION

Enter all required variables into the orange cells in ‘Bearing Capacity – Meyerhof’, ‘Bearing Capacity – Hansen’ and ‘Bearing Capacity –
Vesic’ worksheets. If a variable is not required leave the input cell blank.

Press the ‘iterate’ button in J59 to solve for the minimum footing width. The estimated footing with in F29 will be changed and all values
recalculated until the minimum value for footing width is reached.

SYMBOLS AND CALCULATIONS

Symbol Name Unit Notes

c Cohesion. kPa Data input required.

Adhesion of soil to
ca kPa Data input required.
base < c
SOIL PARAMETERS

φ Angle of friction. ◦ Data input required.

kN/
γbulk Bulk unit weight. Data input required.
m3

Saturated unit kN/

γsat Data input required.
weight. m3
LOADING CONDITIONS

Vertically applied Data input required.

V kN
load. Assumed to be applied on the top face of the footing.

Vertical load
eccentricity in the Data input not required.
el m
plane of the footing Assumed positive eccentricity creates a clockwise moment.
length.

Vertical load
eccentricity in the Data input not required.
eb m
plane of the footing Assumed positive eccentricity creates a clockwise moment.
width.

Hl Horizontally kN Data input not required.

applied load in the
plane of the footing Assumed to be applied in the plane of the top face of the footing.
length.

Page 1 of 8
 Symbol Name Unit Notes

Horizontally
applied load in the Data input not required.
Hb kN
plane of the footing Assumed to be applied in the plane of the top face of the footing.
width.

Applied moment in Data input not required.

Ml the plane of the kNm
footing length. Assumed to be applied at the centre of the top face of the footing.

Applied moment in Data input not required.

Mb the plane of the kNm
footing width. Assumed to be applied at the centre of the top face of the footing.

Vector applied
Q
load.
kN P= √ V 2+ H l 2 + H b 2
Vector load Required – Measured from vertical.
inclination in the
Take as positive if load points towards centreline of footing.
αl plane of the footing ◦
length. Take as negative is load points away from centreline of footing.
If no inclination specify 0◦

Vector load Required – Measured from vertical.

inclination in the
Take as positive if load points towards centreline of footing.
αb plane of the footing ◦
width. Take as negative is load points away from centreline of footing.
If no inclination specify 0◦

Ground surface Required – Measured above horizontal.

β ◦
inclination. If no inclination specify 0◦

Depth of
Hw groundwater below m Data input not required.
ground level.

Unit weight of kN/

γconc Data input not required.
concrete. m3

F Factor of Safety. - Data input required.

FOOTING GEOMETRY

Estimated width of Data input required.

B m
footing. Note that the value in this cell will be changed on clicking the ‘iterate’ button.

Data input required.

For a square footing type ‘s’
L Footing length. m
For a circular footing type ‘d’
For a rectangular footing type the footing length.

A Area of footing m2 Rectangular Footing: A = L x B

Page 2 of 8
Symbol Name Unit Notes

2
B
base. Circular Footing: A = π× ( )
2

Depth to base of
Df footing below m Data input required.
ground level.

Thickness of
t m Data input required.
footing.

δ Footing inclination. ◦ Data input required - If no inclination specify 0◦

The distance between the centre of the footing and the point at which an inclined
load passes through the base plane of the footing.

Effective ee
eccentricity in the
eel m
plane of the footing
length.

Effective
eccentricity in the The distance between the centre of the footing and the point at which an inclined
eeb m
plane of the footing load passes through the base plane of the footing.
width.

The equivalent footing width for an assumed uniform pressure distribution of

V
Effective footing p=
B × L'
B’ m '
width.

B' =B−2 e ex

The equivalent footing length for an assumed uniform pressure distribution of

V
Effective footing p=
B × L'
L’ m '
length.

L' =L−2 e ey

The volume of concrete in the pad footing.

Volume of
Vc m3
concrete. V=A×t

The weight of concrete in the pad footing.

Weight of concrete
Wc kN
in footing. W c =V × γ conc

Ws Weight of kN The weight of soil equivalent to the volume of the pad footing.

Page 3 of 8
 Symbol Name Unit Notes

Footing above water table: W s=V × γ bulk

CALCULATED QUANTITIES

equivalent soil.
Footing below water table: W s=V ×( γ ¿ ¿ sat−9.81)¿

Qnetapp Net applied load. kN Qnetapp =P+W c −W s

If q mmax ≤ qf all soil below the footing is in compression:

q max =q f +q mmax
V
qf = ' q mmax=6 M /(B 2 D)
B × L'
Maximum applied If q mmax >q f since the soil cannot hold tension forces are redistributed into footing
qmax kPa
bearing pressure.
toe:

P
q max =
adopt 3 D M
2
B (−
2 P )
The effective stress created by soil being removed.

Effective Footing above water table p0=γ bulk × t

po overburden kPa
pressure. Footing below or intersecting water table:
p0=( γ bulk × H w ) +(γ sat −9.81)×(D f −H g)

ϕ
NΦ
(
tan 2 45+
2 )
Meyerhof Hansen Vesic

Nq
Surcharge Bearing
-
ϕ=0 , Nq=1 ϕ=0 , Nq=1 ϕ=0 , Nq=1
Capacity Factor.
BEARING CAPACITY FACTORS

ϕ> 0 , Nq=Nϕe πtanϕ ϕ> 0 , Nq=Nϕe πtanϕ ϕ> 0 , Nq=Nϕe πtanϕ

Cohesion bearing
ϕ=0 , Nc=5.14 ϕ=0 , Nc=5.14 ϕ=0 , Nc=5.14
Nc -
capacity factor.
ϕ> 0 , Nc=( N q −1 ) cotϕ
ϕ> 0 , Nc=( N q −1 ) cotϕ ϕ> 0 , Nc=( N q −1 ) cotϕ

ϕ=0 , 0.00 ϕ=0 , 0.00 ϕ=0 , 0.00∨−2 sinβ if β >0

Wedge bearing
Nγ -
capacity factor. ϕ> 0 , ( N q−1 ) tan ¿ ϕ> 0 ,1.5 ( N q −1 ) tan ¿ ϕ> 0 ,2 ( N +1 ) tanϕ
q
) )

Page 4 of 8
 Symbol Name Unit Notes

ϕ=0 , 1.0
GEOMETRY & LOAD FACTORS

ϕ=0 , 1.0 ϕ=0 , 1.0

sqb
Surcharge Shape B'
swap B and L factor.
- ϕ> 10 ,1+0.1 Nϕ ' B' i qB B
for sql L ϕ> 0 ,1+ sinϕ ϕ> 0 ,1+ tanϕ
L' L
0> ϕ>10 linear interpolation

B' B
ϕ=0 , 0.2× ϕ=0 , 0.2×
scb
Cohesion Shape B'
L' L
swap B and L Factor
- 1+0.2 Nϕ
for scl L' Nq B ' Nq B
ϕ> 0 ,1+ ϕ> 0 ,1+
Nc L' NcL

ϕ> 0 ,1.0
ϕ=0 , 1.0 ϕ=0 , 1.0
sγb
Wedge Shape B'
swap B and L Factor
- ϕ> 10 ,1+0.1 Nϕ ' B' B
for sγl L ϕ> 0 ,1−0.4 ϕ> 0 ,1−0.4
L' L
0> ϕ>10 linear interpolation

ϕ=0 , 1.0 ϕ=0 , 1.0 ϕ=0 , 1.0

D D D
dqb
Surcharge Depth
1
ϕ>
2
ϕ> 0 , )2 ×
D 0 , ≤ 1 ,1+2 tanϕ ( 1−sinϕ ≤ 1 ,1+2 tanϕ ( 1−si
swap B and L factor.
- ϕ> 10 ,1+0.1 ( Nϕ ) × B B B
for dql B
D D D
0> ϕ>10 linear interpolation ϕ> 0 , )2 ×
ϕ> 0 , > 1, 1+2 tanϕ ( 1−sinϕ > 1,
atan
1+2
⁡( tanϕ
) ( 1−si
B B B

0∧D D
ϕ= ≤1 , 0.4 ×
B B
0∧D DD D
dcb
Cohesion Depth
1
2 D
ϕ=
B BB ( )
>1 ,0.4 ×atan ≤1 , 1+0.4 ×
B
swap B and L Factor
- 1+0.2 ( Nϕ ) ×
B 0∧D DD D
for dcl
ϕ>
B
≤ 1 ,1+0.4 ×
BB
>1 , 1+ 0.4 × atan
B ( )
0∧D D
ϕ>
B
> 1, 1+0.4 × atan
B ( )
ϕ=0 , 1.0
dγb 1
Wedge Depth 2 D
swap B and L Factor
- ϕ> 10 ,1+0.1 ( Nϕ ) × 1.0 1.0
for dγl B
0> ϕ>10 linear interpolation
iqb Surcharge - α 0.5× MIN ( H , Qtanϕ+ AMIN
5
e c a ) ( H , Qtanϕ+ A e c a )
swap B and L
for iql
Inclination factor. ϕ=0 ,(1−
90
) 1− ( 1−
Q+ A e c a cotϕ ( ) Q+ A e c a cotϕ

Page 5 of 8
 Symbol Name Unit Notes

B
2 2+
α L
(
ϕ> 0 , 1−
90 ) m=
2−
B
L

ϕ=0
m×MIN ( H ,Qtanϕ+ A
ϕ=0 ( 1−
1
A e c a cotϕ
MIN ( H ,Qtanϕ+ A e c a ) 2 2
icb
Cohesion
ϕ=0 ,(1−
α
90
)
0.5−
( 1−
Ae ca ϕ> 0 )
- 2
swap B and L
Inclination Factor
α 2 1−I q
for icl
(
ϕ> 0 , 1−
90 ) ϕ> 0 I q−
N q−1
1−Iq B
Iq− 2+
Nq−1 L
m=
B
2−
L

δ =0
MIN ( H , Qtanϕ+ A e ca )

iγb
ϕ=0 , 1.0
2
1−
0.7 ×MIN ( H , Qtanϕ+
( Q+ A e ca cotϕ
(
1−A e c a ) 5
)
Q+ Ae c a cotϕ
α
swap B and L
for iγl
Wedge Inclination
Factor
-
( )
α ≤ ϕ , ϕ> 0 , 1−
ϕ δ >0 2+
B
L
m=
α >ϕ> ϕ>0 , 0.0 0.7−δ/ 450× MIN ( H , Qtanϕ+ B
A e ca )
5

1− ( Q+ A e c a cotϕ
2−
L )
Surcharge Sloped
Βq
Surface factor.
- - ( 1−0.5tanβ )5 ( 1−tanβ )2

βc Cohesion Sloped - - ϕ=0 ϕ=0

Surface Factor
β β
1− 1−
147.3 147.3
ϕ> 0 ϕ> 0
1−β q 1−β q
β q− β q−
147.3 147.3

Page 6 of 8
 Symbol Name Unit Notes

Wedge Sloped
βγ
Surface Factor
- - ( 1−0.5tanβ )5 ( 1−tanβ )2

Surcharge Tilted
δq
Base factor.
- - e−0.035 δtanϕ ( 1−0.017 δtanϕ )2

ϕ=0 ϕ=0
βδ βδ
1− 1−
Cohesion Tilted
147.3 147.3
δc - -
Base Factor
ϕ> 0 ϕ> 0
1−δ q 1−δ q
δ q− δ q−
147.3 147.3

Wedge Tilted Base

δγ
Factor
- - e−0.047 δtanϕ ( 1−0.017 δtanϕ )2

Total ultimate
qtult
bearing capacity.
kPa b tult=c N c s c d c ic β c δ c + p 0 N q sq d q i q β q δ q +0.5 γ bulk B N γ s γ d γ i γ β γ delt aγ

Allowable bearing btult

qallow
capacity
kPa b allow =
BEARING CAPACITIES

Allowable total
Qgross
gross load.
kN Bgross =ballow × A

Allowable total net

Qnet
load.
kN Bnet =(b ¿ ¿ tult− p 0)× A / R ¿

Allowable b net
qmax maximum bearing kPa b net=
pressure A

REFERENCES

1. Bowles, J.E., Foundation Analysis and Design Fifth Edition, Mcgraw-Hill 1997
2. Winterkorn, H.F. et all, Foundation Engineering Handbook, Litton Educational Publishing 1975

Page 7 of 8
3. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bearing Capacity of Soils, ASCE Press 1993
4. Tomilson, M.J., Foundation Design and Construction
5. Das, B.M, Shallow Foundations: Bearing Capacity and Settlement, CRC Press Inc.a 2009

Page 8 of 8