Bearing Capacity of

Shallow Foundations

Hadi Khabbaz
Email: hadi.khabbaz@uts.edu.au
KUET, Khulna, Feb 2020

OUTLINE

• Bearing capacity equation

• Types of failure
• Selection of parameters
• Factors affecting bearing
capacity
• General bearing capacity
equation
Karl Terzaghi: The Founder
• Worked examples of Modern Geotechnology

1
 Shallow Foundations
B
 Condition:
D
DB
Soil

 Types of shallow foundations:

 Strip footings:

 Circular, square, rectangular footings:

Shallow Foundations
B
 Condition:
D qo = goD
DB
Soil

 Types of shallow foundations:

 Strip footings:

Unit length

 Circular, square, rectangular footings:

2
 Definition of
Shallow Foundations

The ratio of the embedment (Df) to the minimum

plan dimension (B = width) is:

D f  2.5B
5

Failure Mechanism

3
 Bearing Capacity Equation
The first general bearing capacity equation for shallow strip
footings was proposed by Terzaghi in 1943.

qu  cNc  qo Nq  0.5 gBNg

Failure mechanism used by Terzaghi

qu
qo qo

f 45-f/2

B

Bearing Capacity Equation

The first general bearing capacity equation for shallow strip footings was
proposed by Terzaghi in 1943.

qu  cNc  qo Nq  0.5 gBNg

 The terms Nq, Ng and Nc are known as the bearing capacity factors.

f (o) Nc Nq Ng
0 5.7 1.0 0.0
5 7.3 1.6 0.5
10 9.6 2.7 1.2
15 12.9 4.4 2.5
20 17.7 7.4 5.0
25 25.1 12.7 9.7
30 37.2 22.5 19.7
35 58 41 42
40 96 81 100
45 172 173 298

4
400 1000
Ng Nq Ng
350 Nq

300
100
250

200

Nc
150
10

100

50
Nc

0 1
0 10 20 30 40 50 0 10 20 30 40 50
Friction Angle (o) Friction Angle (o) 10

Terzaghi’s Bearing Capacity Factors

Alternative
An empirical equation from the given values of Ng: Equation
K py  (8f' 2 4f'3.8) tan 2 (60  f' / 2)

5
 Bearing Capacity Equation
 The first general bearing capacity equation for shallow strip
footings was proposed by Terzaghi in 1943.

qu  cNc  qo Nq  0.5 gBNg

 The terms Nq, Ng and Nc are known as the bearing capacity factors.

 Bearing capacity equations for other foundation shapes:

 Square footings: qu  1.3cNc  qoNq  0.4 gBNg

 Circular footings: qu  1.3cNc  qoNq  0.3 gBNg

 Rectangular footings:

qu  cNc [1  0.3 B / L]  qoNq  0.5 gBNg [1  0.2 B / L]

Types of Failure
 General shear failure: q qu
 Sudden failure.

Surface heave Settlement

Dense or stiff soils 13

6
 Types of Failure
 General shear failure: q qu
 Sudden failure.
 Local shear failure:
 Medium soil compaction.

Minor surface heave Settlement

Medium dense or firm soils14

Types of Failure
 General shear failure: q
 Sudden failure.
 Local shear failure: qu
 Medium soil compaction.
 Punching shear failure:
 Compaction under
foundation.

Settlement
No heave

Loose or soft soils 15

7
 Types of Failure
 General shear failure:
 Sudden failure.
 Local shear failure:
 Medium soil compaction.
 Punching shear failure:
 Compaction under foundation.

 The failure mechanism corresponds to general shear

failure.
 For local or punching shear failure corrections need to be
applied:
2  2
fdesign  tan 1  tan f  c design  c
3  3

qu  cNc  qo Nq  0.5 gBNg

For what type of soils?

2 
fdesign  tan 1  tan f 
3 
2
c design  c
3

8
 Selection of Parameters
 Drained:
 Clays: long time after loading, sands: always.
 Soil has high coefficient of permeability or loads are applied at low
rate compare with the permeability of soil, no excess pore pressure
will be generated.
 Use effective strength parameters in an effective stress
analysis:
 Effective cohesion, c;
 Effective friction angle, f.
 Undrained:
 Clays, immediately after loading.
 Loading increases pore pressure in soil which may take months to
dissipate;
 Use undrained strength parameters in a total stress analysis:
 Undrained cohesion, cu;
 Undrained friction angle, fu, ( zero for saturated N.C. clay).

Selection of Parameters
Unit weight of soil, g, and water table location:

qu  cNc  qo Nq  0.5 gBNg

B
qu
go qo= go Df
Df

g g
g

9
 Selection of Parameters
 Unit weight of soil, g, and water table location:
 Undrained analysis:
 Water table has no effect in a total stress analysis.
 Drained analysis:
 Always use the effective overburden pressure, qo.
 Use submerged unit weight g = gt - gw if water table is at or above
the base of the foundation.
 If water table is at depth d below the foundation base:
If d>B, water can be assumed to have no effect.
If d<B, use the unit weight as:
gdesign = g + (d / B  gw ).
B
d

Three Groundwater Cases for Bearing

Capacity Analysis

d
B

Lower limit of zone of influence

Case 1 Case 2 Case 3

gdesign = g gdesign = g + (d / B  gw ) gdesign = gt

10
 QUIZ

Propose at least 3 situations for shallow

foundations that Terzaghi’s equations
are not suitable to find their bearing
capacities.

A trapezoidal footing (or a footing with an irregular shape), a footing on a slope, a footing with
inclined loads, a footing on layered soil, and a footing with inclined base.

23

Effects of Load Eccentricity & Moment

 Review of the tutorial problem (2):
P 1.5m
Tensile stress cannot be transmitted
between soil and concrete. 1.5m

4m

B
 If e  B/6: e P
P M.C P  6e 
smax    1  
min A I B B 

 If e > B/6:
M=e.P P
2P
smax  and smin 0
3(B / 2  e)
smin
 smax must be less than qall = qu/F. smax

11
 Effects of Load Eccentricity & Moment
 Review of Mechanics of Solids P 1.5m
Tensile stress cannot be transmitted
1.5m
between soil and concrete.
4m

 e = 2.0 - 1.5 = 0.5 < B/6 = 0.67 B

P 6e  P  6  0.5   0.4375 P e P
smax  1    1  
min B B  4 4   0.0625 P

qu =cNc + qoNq + 0.5gBNg

qu = 0+3081+0.510.24100 = 4470 kPa M=e.P P
qall = 4470 / 1.5 = 2980 kPa
smin
0.4375 P = 2980 kPa smax
P = 6810 kN pmr

Effects of Load Eccentricity & Moment

 Effective width concept (Meyerhof):
 Replace the footing with another footing with an equivalent
width (or area) on which the load is applied centrally.
 Use the dimensions of the centrally loaded footing in all
bearing capacity calculations.
B
CL
P P
e=P/M e B/2-e
M

q = P/(B-2e)

B/2-e B/2-e
B

12
 Effects of Load Eccentricity & Moment
Effective width concept (Meyerhof):
 Replace the footing with another footing with an equivalent
width (or area) on which the load is applied centrally.
 Use the dimensions of the centrally loaded footing in all
bearing capacity calculations. P
eB
eL
L
L L-2eL
B B
B-2eB

27

Effects of Load Eccentricity & Moment

 Review of Mechanics of Solids P 1.5m
Effective width method:
1.5m

B= B – 2e = 3m 4m
qu = cNc + qoNq + 0.5 gBNg B
qu = 0+3081+0.510.23100 = 3960 kPa e P

qall = 3960 / 1.5 = 2640 kPa

P
P = 2640  3 = 7920 kN pmr
B’

13
 Factors Affecting Bearing Capacity

 Different shapes
 Moment and eccentricity
 Load inclination
 Embedment depth
 Base inclination
 Ground surface

General Bearing Capacity Eqn.

Includes all factors affecting the capacity:
Applies to a broader range of loading and geometry
conditions.
Based on theoretical and experimental works.
Hansen (1970) and Vesic (1973) ….

Hansen’s Equations:
For f ≠ 0
qu = cNcscdcicgcbc + qoNqsqdqiqgqbq + 0.5gBNgsgdgigggbg

For f = 0
qu = 5.14 cu (1 + sc + dc - ic – bc - gc) + qo

14
 Hansen’s Bearing Capacity Factors

Nq  e  tan f tan 2 ( 45  f / 2)

Nc  Nq 1 cotf

Ng 1.5 Nq 1 tanf

31

Factors

Shape Factors s sc, sc , sq , sg

Depth Factors d dc , dc , dq , dg

Inclination Factors i ic  , ic , i q , i g

Ground Factors g gc, gc , gq , gg

Base Factors b bc, bc , bq , bg

15
32

Other Factors
Variation of strength with depth:
 More common:
Strength increases with depth.
 Strong soil layer overlaying weaker soil.

Crust

Soft Clay

16
34

Other Factors
Variation of strength with depth:
 More common:
Strength increases with depth.
 Strong soil layer overlaying weaker soil.
 Weak soil layer overlaying stronger soil.

Soft Clay

Dense Sand

QUIZ

Q1. The Hansen’s equation is given below for the ultimate

bearing capacity of a shallow strip footing built on sandy soil.

qu = cNcscdcicgcbc + qoNqsqdqiqgqbq + 0.5 g BNgsgdgigggbg

Find its simplest form associated with the above strip footing.

a. qu = qoNqsqgq + 0.5 g BNgiggg b. qu = 0.5 g BNgsgggbg

c. qu = 0.5 g BNgsggg d. qu = 0.5 g BNggg

17
 Terzaghi’s Eq. vs Hansen’s Eq.
 Terzaghi’s bearing capacity equation:
 First introduced in 1943 and modified later
 Applies to a limited range of loading and geometry
conditions
 Effects of many factors were ignored or approximated
 General bearing capacity equation (Hansen):
 More complex
 Applies to a broader range of loading and geometry
conditions
 Effects of many factors are included
 Bearing capacity factors are more accurate

Thank
you

18
 Worked
Examples
and Discussion

Example 1: Undrained Analysis

What is the factor of safety of this foundation in undrained condition?
(Use Terzaghi’s Equation)
P = 400 kN

Clay: gt = 20 kN/m3 0.4m

cu = 50 kPa 1m 2m2m
fu = 0o

19
 Example 1 (Cont’d)
Undrained Analysis
Is the location of water table important in this condition?

𝑄𝑢 (𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙) = 390 × 2 × 2 = 1560 𝑘𝑁

Example 1 (Cont’d)
Assuming 400 kN is the total load applied on the footing base:

1560
𝐹= = 3.9
400

Footing and soil weights above the base can be calculated

assuming an average unit weight for combined soil and footing:

𝛾𝑎𝑣𝑒 ≈ 22 𝑘𝑁/𝑚3
𝑊𝑠&𝑓 = 2 × 2 × 1 22 = 88 𝑘𝑁
𝑄𝑢 (𝑛𝑒𝑡) = 1560 − 88 = 1472 𝑘𝑁
1472
𝐹= = 3.7
400

20
 Example 1 (Cont’d)
Footing and soil weights above the base can be calculated
assuming an average unit weight of soil and footing to be 22
kN/m3:

𝑊𝑠&𝑓 = 2 × 2 × 1 22 = 88 𝑘𝑁
𝐴𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 = 400 + 88 = 488 𝑘𝑁

Calculate the factor of safety if it is applied at the footing base:

1560
𝐹= = 3.2
488

Example 2: Ultimate Capacity

What is the ultimate bearing capacity of this foundation in
drained and undrained conditions?
Qu = ?
(Use Terzaghi’s Equation)

1m
2m strip
Clay: gt = 16 kN/m3; 1m
cu = 100 kPa, fu= 0o.
c = 0, f = 25o.

21
22
 𝑑
𝛾𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑔𝑛 = 𝛾 ′ + 𝐵 𝛾𝑤
1
𝛾𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑔𝑛 = 16 − 9.8 + 9.8 = 11.1 𝑘𝑁/𝑚3
2

Average unit weight of soil and concrete

23
 Allowable Bearing Capacity
 Allowable bearing capacity is defined as:
qu
qa 
F
 A minimum factor of safety (F) of 3 is usually used for
shallow foundations.

 If a foundation is buried to a depth Ho, the net allowable

bearing pressure can be defined as:

Qa (net)

qu  gHo
qa ( net )  Ho
F

Example 3: Ultimate Capacity

What is the net allowable bearing capacity of this foundation in
drained and undrained conditions. Assume the foundation is
flooded by 2m of water?
Pa (net) = ?
(Use Terzaghi’s Equation)

Clay: gt = 20 kN/m3; 2m
cu = 35 kPa fu= 0o
c = 0 kPa f = 30o 2m2m 1m

24
Assume the average unit weight of soil and concrete = 22 kN/m3
300 − 2 × 9.8 + 1 × 22
𝑞𝑎 𝑛𝑒𝑡 = = 86.1 𝑘𝑃𝑎
3
Net load capacity in undrained condition: 𝑃𝑎 𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 86 × 2 × 2 = 344 𝑘𝑁

25
 = 10.2 kN/m3

390 − 1 22 − 9.8
𝑞′𝑎 𝑛𝑒𝑡 = = 126 𝑘𝑃𝑎
3
Net load capacity in drained condition:

𝑃𝑎 𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 126 × 4 = 504 𝑘𝑁

Net allowable load:

In undrained condition: 344 kN
In drained condition: 504 kN
Critical load = Min (344 kN, 504 kN)

∴ 𝑷𝒂 𝒏𝒆𝒕 = 𝟑𝟒𝟒 𝒌𝑵

26
 Example 4
P=150 kN/m
Find the factor of safety of this
strip footing. 0.5m
0.35

(Use Hansen’s Equation)

1m
Sand: g = 20 kN/m3, f = 35o

Example 4

27
 Example 4

Example 5
A strip footing is shown in the following figure. The wall is fixed into the foundation.
Determine the factor of safety of the footing against the bearing capacity failure based on the
following data: (Use Hansen’s equations and the concept of effective area)

P = 260 kN pmr (excluding the weights of the foundation and fill material)
M = 60 kN.m pmr,  = 15
gconcrete = 25 kN/m3, gt (fill) = gtsoil) = 19 kN/m3 , fsoil) = 30, csoil = 0 kPa

P

M
Find B′

0.3m Fill
1.2m
0.5m
Water table
Soil 1.6m 1.2m

Soil
Not to Scale
Section
Not to Scale

28
29
 Example 6
P
Find the ultimate load.
Sand: g= 20 kN/m3, f= 30o

(Use Hansen’s Equation)

P 0.5m

What is the value of c? 0.5m

3m

2m

Example 6

30
 Example 6

Example 6
Find the factor of safety without and
0.5m 270 kN
with the horizontal load? 1m
Sand: g= 18 kN/m3, f′ = 30o
100 kN
Water table is 0.5 m below the 2m
surface. (Use Hansen’s Equation) Strip footing

31
Example 7

Example 7

32
 Example 7

Adhesion

adhesion

Example 7

33
 Example 8
Factor of safety, undrained conditions?
 Strip footing 1m

 Clay: g=17 kN/m3, 0.55m

 cu = 80 kPa, fu = 0
P =135 kN pmr
15o
0.9m

Example 8

34
Example 8

Example 8

35
 Example 8
1m

0.55m

P=135kN pmr
15o
0.9m

Example 8

smax occurs under a point at the right side of

the footing. It results in more settlement at
the right side of the footing compared to the
left side. Therefore, the failure mechanism
would be to the left side of the footing.

End of Example 8

36