Shallow Foundations -

Bearing Capacity and Limit Analysis

Bearing Capacity in Undrained Materials
Undrained material – considers only undrained shear
strength of soil i.e. cu or su.

Analysis using the upper bound theorem

For undrained conditions the failure mechanism within the
soil mass should consist of slip lines which are either
straight lines or circular arcs (or a combination).

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 2

Upper bound approach, mechanism UB1

Proposed mechanism UB1

(Plane strain)

Slip velocities

Dimensions

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 3

Upper bound approach, mechanism UB1

Energy dissipateddue to shearingat relative

velocity vi along slip line of length Li :
E i  f  L i  v i

Work done Wi by a pressureq i acting over an

area per unit length Bi moving at velocity vi :
Wi  q i  Bi  vi

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 4

Upper bound approach, mechanism UB1
Hodograph

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 5

 Upper bound approach, mechanism UB1
Energy dissipated:
Slip line Stress fi Length Li Relative velocity vi Energy dissipated Ei
OA cu B/2 2v cuBv

OB cu B 2v 2cuBv
OC cu B/2 2v cuBv
AB cu B/2 2v cuBv
BC cu B/2 2v cuBv
Total Energy Dissipated, Ei = cuBv

Work done:
Component Pressure pi Area Bi Relative velocity vi Work done Wi
Footing qf B V qfBv
pressure
Surcharge sq B -v -sqBv
Total Work Done, Wi = qfBv-sqBv
CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 6
Upper bound approach, mechanism UB1

 Wi   E i
 
q f  sq Bv  6c u Bv
 q f  6c u  sq (8.4)

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 7

Upper bound approach, mechanism UB2
A more efficient mechanism:
Energy dissipatedfor shearingbetween
each wedgeof the fan and soil :
E i  c u  R   v fan (8.5)

Energy dissipatedfor shearingbetween

each wedgeand next wedge of the fan :
E i, j  c u  R  v fan  (8.6)

Total energydissipateddue to fan :

 
E fan   E i  E i, j   2c u Rv fan
i i

 02c u Rv fan  2c u Rv fan

(8.7)

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 8

 Upper bound approach, mechanism UB2
Slip line Stress fi Length Li Relative velocity vi Energy dissipated Ei
OA cu B/2 2v cuBv

Fan zone cu R=B/2 vtan = 2v cuBv

OC cu B/2 2v cuBv
Total Energy Dissipated, Ei = (2+)cuBv

 Wi   E i
 
q f  sq Bv  c u Bv
 q f  2  c u  sq (8.8)

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 9

Bearing Capacity in Undrained Materials
Analysis using the lower bound theorem
In the lower bound approach, the conditions of equilibrium
and yield are satisfied without consideration of the mode of
deformation.

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 10

Lower bound approach, stress state LB1
For equilibrium, s1 in zone 2 is
equalto s3 in zone 1

The major principal stressat

any point in zone 1 is
s1  q f  z (8.9)

In zone 2, the minor principal stressis

s3  sq  z (8.10)

At thepoint where the circle meets

q f  z  2cu  sq  z  2cu
 q f  4cu  sq (8.11)

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 11

Lower bound approach, stress state LB2
A more realistic stress state can be found
by considering a series of frictional stress
discontinuities along which a significant
proportion of the soil strength can be
mobilised, forming a fan zone which
gradually rotate the major principal stress
from vertical beneath the footing to the
horizontal outside.

In crossing the discontinuity the major

principal stress will rotate by an amount :

    (8.12)
2
From Figure (c),

sA  sB  2cu cos (8.13)

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 12

Lower bound approach, stress state LB2
Substituting Eq. 8.12 into Eq. 8.13 and
in the limit sA – sB  s, sin   :

 
s  2cu cos   
2 
 2cu sin   2cu 
Integrating from zone 1 to zone 2:

/2 
 s  0 2c u   2c u
2
Considering s1 in zone 1, s3 in zone 2
and the fan:

q f  z  2cu   sq  z  2cu   2cu 

2
 q f  2   c u  sq (8.16)

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 13

Comparing Upper and Lower Bounds qf

Upper Bound Lower Bound

1 6c u  sq 4cu  sq

2 2  cu  sq 2  cu  sq

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 14

Bearing Capacity Factors (Undrained)
General form of bearing capacity of a shallow foundation
on an undrained material may be written as:

q f  s c N c c u  sq (8.17)

Where sc = shape factor, for strip footing = 1.0

Nc = bearing capacity factor = (2 + )

d sq  d

Founding plane

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 15

Bearing Capacity Factors(Undrained)
Salgado et al. (2004) :
 
N c  2  1  0.27
d 
 B  (8.18)
 

Eurocode7 :
B
s c  1  0.2 (8.19)
L
BL

In practice, Nc is limited at a value

of 9.0 for a deeply embedded
square or circular foundation.

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 16

Terzaghi’s Bearing Capacity Formula
for undrained material

q f  s c c u N c  sq

Footing shape sc
Continuous 1.0
Square 1.3
Circular 1.3

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 17

Bearing Capacity Factors (Undrained)
Salgado et al. (2004) :
 
N c  2  1  0.27
d 
 B  (8.18)
 

Eurocode7 :
B
s c  1  0.2 (8.19)
L
BL

In practice, Nc is limited at a value

of 9.0 for a deeply embedded
square or circular foundation.

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 18

Bearing Capacity Factors (Undrained)
For two layer soil,

Merifield et al. (1999) Merifield and Nguyen (2006)

Solid lines for UB, dashed lines for LB for square footings

Note: in calculating qf, cu = cu1

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 19

Bearing Capacity Factors (Undrained)
For strip footing close to a slope,

Georgiadis (2010)
Lowest upper bound solution

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 20

Bearing Capacity Factors (Undrained)
For Gibson’s soil: cu (z)  cu0  Cz (8.20)

Davis and Booker (1973)

 CB 
q f  2   c u   Fz
 4 

(8.21)

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 21

Bearing Capacity Factors (Undrained)
Bearing capacity factor Nc is affected by:

(a)Equation used
(b)Depth of embedment
(c)Layered soil
(d)Proximity of slope

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 22

Example 8.1
A strip foundation 2.0 m wide is located at a depth of 2.0
m in a stiff clay of saturated unit weight of 21 kN/m3. The
undrained shear strength is uniform with depth, with cu =
120 kPa. Determine the undrained bearing capacity of the
foundation under the following conditions:

(a)The foundation is constructed in level ground;

(b)A cutting at a gradient of 1:2 is subsequently made
adjacent to the foundation, with the crest 1.5 m from the
edge of the foundation.

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 23

Example 8.1(a)

d = 2.0 m
 
sq  d  21 kN / m3 2.0m 
 42 kN / m 2

Founding plane

cu = 120 kPa B = 2.0 m

d 2.0
  1.0
B 2.0
Using Skempton's values,N c  6.4
For strip footing,sc  1.0

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 24

 Bearing Capacity Factors(Undrained)
Salgado et al. (2004) :
 
N c  2  1  0.27
d 
 B  (8.18)
 

Eurocode7 :
6.4 B
s c  1  0.2 (8.19)
L
BL

In practice, Nc is limited at a value

of 9.0 for a deeply embedded
square or circular foundation.

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 25

Example 8.1(a)

d = 2.0 m
 
sq  d  21 kN / m3 2.0m 
 42 kN / m 2

Founding plane

cu = 120 kPa B = 2.0 m

d 2.0
  1.0 q f  s c N cc u  sq
B 2.0  1.0 x 6.4 x 120   42
Using Skempton's values,N c  6.4
 810 kPa
For strip footing,sc  1.0

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 26

 Example 8.1(b)
B = 1.2 m

d = 2.0 m
 
sq  d  21 kN / m3 2.0m 
 42 kN / m 2
1
2 Founding plane

cu = 120 kPa B = 2.0 m

1 .5
  0.75
2 .0
1 Interpolating, Nc  4.7
  tan1    26 .6o
2
cu 120
  2 .9
B 212.0 

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 27

 Bearing Capacity Factors (Undrained)
For strip footing close to a slope,

Georgiadis (2010)
Lowest upper bound solution

4.7

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 28

 Example 8.1(b)
B = 1.2 m

d = 2.0 m
 
sq  d  21 kN / m3 2.0m 
 42 kN / m 2
1
2 Founding plane

cu = 120 kPa B = 2.0 m

1 .5
  0.75
2 .0 q f  s c N c c u  sq
1
  tan1    26 .6o  1.0 x 4.7 x 120   42
2  606 kPa
cu 120
  2 .9
B 212.0 

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 29

Bearing Capacity in Drained Materials
Drained material – considers effective shear strength
parameters of soil i.e. c’ and f’.

Analysis using the upper bound theorem

For drained conditions, the slip surfaces within a
kinematically admissible failure mechanism should consist
of slip lines of either straight lines or curves of a specific
form known as log spirals (or a combination).

Log spiral, r  r0e tan

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 30

Upper bound approach, mechanism UB-1
How to obtain thelog spiral equation?
dr
tan  
rd
r dr
r  0tan d
Plane strain 0 r
r
ln     tan 
 r0 
r  r0e tan 

In Figure (a), r0  L AB , r  L BC and   

2
B
From geometrey,L AB 
  f' 
2 cos  
4 2

tan 
Be 2
 L BC 
  f' 
2 cos  
4 2

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 31

The Direct Shear Test
 = dilation angle
Associative flow rule
For the special case,  = f’ (normality principle)

 
tan  tan f'
Be 2 Be 2
 LBC  
  f'    f' 
2 cos   2 cos  
4 2 4 2

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 32

Upper bound approach, mechanism UB1
Work done:
Component Pressure pi Area Bi Relative velocity vi Work done Wi
Footing qf B V qfBv
pressure

Surcharge sq 
tan f '   f'  
tan f '   f' 
tan  
  f' 
 s'q Bve tan f' tan2   
Bve 2 tan   ve 2
4 2 4 2 4 2

As a result of the normality principle,  Ei  0.

  Wi  0.
 tan f' 2 f' 
 q f Bv  s'q Bve tan     0
4 2
   f' 
q f  e tanf' tan2    s'q  N q s'q (8.25)
  4 2 

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 33

Lower bound approach, stress state LB1

qf

1 - sinf'  e tan f'
1  sinf' s'q
 1  sin f'  tan f' 
 qf   e  s'q
 1  sin f' 

     
  f' 
2   tan2   e  tan f'  s'q
(8.26)  4 2 
 N q s'q

Same qf as upper bound approach!

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 34

General Bearing Capacity for Drained
Materials
q f  sc Ncc'sq Nq s'q 0.5Bs  N 

d
s’q

(Coduto 2001)

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 35

 General Bearing Capacity for Drained
Materials
q f  scd c Ncc'sq d q Nq s'q 0.5Bs  d  N 

Nq 
1  sin f'  tanf' B
e sq  1  sin f'
1  sin f' L
Nq  1 sq N q  1
Nc  As f'  0, N c  2   sc 
tan f' Nq  1
 
N   N q  1 tan1.32f' (Salgado 2008)
s   1  0.3
B

N   2 N q  1 tan f' (EC 7) L

dc, dq, d – depth factors. EC 7 does not recommend the use of depth factors i.e.
dc = dq =d =1.0

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 36

 General Bearing Capacity for Drained
Materials

d
Case 1: s’q

Case 2:

Case 3:

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 37

Unit weight to be used
Case 1: dw  d '     w
Case 2: d < dw < d+B   d w  d 
 '     w 1   
  B 
Case 3: d+B  dw '  

dw = depth of groundwater table

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 38

Example 8.2
A footing 2.25 m x 2.25 m is located at a depth of 1.5 m in
a sand for which c’ = 0 and f’ = 38o. Determine the bearing
resistance for (a) if the groundwater table is well below the
foundation level, and (b) if the groundwater table is at the
ground surface. The unit weight of the sand above the
groundwater table is 18 kN/m3; the saturated unit weight is
20 kN/m3.
For f'  38o ,
B
Nq 
1  sin f' e tanf'  49 sq  1 
L
sin f'  1.62
1  sin f' sq N q  1
Nq  1 sc  (not used as c'  0)
Nc  (not used as c'  0) Nq  1
tan f'
 
N   2 N q  1 tan f'  75 s   1  0.3
B
L
 0.7

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 39

Example 8.2(a)
(a) if the groundwater table is well below the foundation level
q f  s q N q s'q 0.5Bs  N  Case 3
 s q N q d  0.5Bs  N 
 1.62  49  18  1.5   0.5  18  2.25  0.7  75 
 3206 kPa

(b) if the groundwater table is at the ground surface

q f  s q N q s'q 0.5Bs  N  Case 1
 s q N q  ' d  0.5 ' Bs  N 
 1.62  49  20 - 9.81  1.5  0.5  20  9.81  2.25  0.70  75
 1815 kPa

CV3013-LEC (2013) Week 2 40