BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS

TOPIC 3 : BEARING CAPACITY OF SHALLOW

AND DEEP FOUNDATIONS
PART A : SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS

TOPIC 3A: Bearing Capacity of Shallow Foundations

Learning Outcomes :
At the end of this lecture, the students will be
able to :
1. Identify and discuss all parameters required in
the determination of bearing capacity of soils
below a shallow foundation.
2. Formulate and evaluate the associated bearing
capacity values.
3. Design size of footing for a given geotechnical
problem.
LEARNING OUTCOMES

Bearing capacity of Shallow Foundations

Learning outcomes:
At the end of this lecture/week the students would
be able to:
 Identify and determine the bearing capacity of soils
below shallow foundations using appropriate
formula.
 Formulate and the determine size of footing for a
particular geotechnical problem.
LEARNING OUTCOMES

Settlement and allowable bearing capacity of shallow

foundations based on in situ tests.

Learning outcomes:
At the end of this lecture/week the students would
be able to:

 Identify all parameters required in the determination

of settlement and allowable bearing capacity based
on empirical data.
 Formulate and determine settlement of shallow
foundations using empirical methods.
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS

OUTLINE of PRESENTATION
3.1 Introduction & Types of Foundation
3.2 Design Requirements and Concept
3.3 Factors in the Design of Shallow
Foundations
3.4 Definitions of Bearing Capacity Terms
3.5 Ultimate Bearing capacity of Shallow
Foundations
3.6 Ultimate Stability Design for Shallow
Foundations
3.7 Evaluation of Allowable Bearing Capacity
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Introduction & Types of Foundations

3.1 INTRODUCTION & TYPES OF FOUNDATION

A foundation is the supporting base of a
structure which forms the interface across
which the loads are transmitted to the
underlying soil or rock

Broadly foundations can be categorised into

two types :-
Shallow/spread foundations
- isolated pads, strip footings and mat (raft)
Deep foundations
- piles, piers and caissons
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Introduction & Types of Foundations

Foundation …..
An interface element used to transfer load
from superstructure to underlying soil or rock.

superstructure

soil
Pile
foundation
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Introduction & Types of Foundations

Types of foundations

D
D D/B > 4
B

D/B < 1, or D < 3.0 m

B
• Shallow foundation
– Pad footing • Deep foundation
– Strip footing – Pile foundation
– Mat foundation – Caisson/Drilled Pier
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Design requirements

3.2 DESIGN REQUIREMENTS AND CONCEPTS

British Standards

Euro Code 7 : Geotechnical Design

Malaysian Standards ???

BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Factors in Design
3.3 FACTORS IN THE DESIGN OF SHALLOW
FOUNDATIONS
Shallow means less than 3 m or less than or
equal the breadth of the footings

5.3.1 Three design criteria must be

considered :-
 Adequate depth
 Limiting settlement
 Factor of safety against shear failure
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Factors in Design

3.3.1.1 Adequate depth

Depth must be sufficient to prevent any adverse
effects due to changes in surface conditions, i.e.
climatic changes, action of freezing and thawing,
temperature changes. Also important when dealing
with horizontal loads or strong overturning
moments.

3.3.1.2 Limiting settlement

The amount of total settlement, differential and
angular distortion that may be tolerated depending
on the functional performance of the building and
the requirement of the user as well as economic
factors.
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Factors in Design

3.3.1.3 Factor of safety

Shear failure occurs when the soil divides into

separate blocks or zones which move fully or
partially, and tangentially with respect to each other.

The principal criterion for design will be that the ratio

of the shear strength of the soil to the maximum
mobilised shear stress must not be less than the
appropriate value, i.e. factor of safety
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Modes of Shear Failure

3.3.2 Three modes of shear failure :-

 General shear failure
 Local shear failure
 Punching shear failure

3.3.2.1 General shear failure

Clearly defined slip surface
– develops outwards
towards one or both sides
and eventually to the ground
surface.

Failure is sudden, severe tilting leading to final collapse.

Associated with dense or over-consolidated soils of low
compressibility
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Modes of Shear Failure
3.3.2.2 Local shear failure
Shear plane starts from one
side and ends within the soil.
Adjacent bulging may occur
but little tilting.
Settlement which occurs will
usually be the principal design
criterion

3.3.2.3 Punching shear failure

Development of slip surface
restricted to vertical plane
adjacent to the sides of the
footing.
Bulging at the surface is usually absent and may even be
replaced by drag-down.
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Definition of terms

3.4 DEFINITION OF BEARING CAPACITY

The following terms need to be understood

and properly explained :-

3.4.1 Ultimate bearing capacity

3.4.2 Net loading intensity

3.4.3 Factor of safety against shear failure
3.4.4 Presumed bearing value

3.4.5 Allowable bearing capacity

BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Definition of terms

3.4.1 Ultimate bearing capacity (qf)

Is the intensity of bearing pressure at which the
supporting ground is expected to fail in shear i.e. a
collapse will take place. Obtained using specific
formula.
3.4.2 Net loading intensity (qn)
Also known as net foundation pressure.
Is the net change in total stress experienced by
the soil at the base of the foundation; this being
the difference between the total applied stress (q)
and the stress removed due to excavation (σo).
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Definition of terms
3.4.3 Factor of safety against shear failure
Is defined as the ratio between the net ultimate
bearing capacity and the net bearing pressure :
qnf q f -  'o
Factor of safety, F  
qn q -  'o

3.4.4 Presumed bearing value

Is a conservative value attributed to a rock or
soil for preliminary design purpose. Values
obtained using empirical data, taking into
consideration the width of foundation, the
probable settlement limits and local experience.
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Definition of terms
3.4.5 Allowable bearing capacity (qa)
Is defined as the bearing pressure that will cause
either undrained or drained settlement or creep equal
to a specified tolerable design limit.
For a given foundation in a given soil, the allowable
design value for the applied bearing pressure must
satisfy the two criteria given below.

3.4.5.1 An ultimate limit state value (shear strength)

Allowable design q f -  'o

bearing capacity, qa    'o
F
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Definition of terms

3.4.5.2 A serviceability limit state value (settlement)

Allowable design bearing capacity, qa = bearing

pressure corresponding to a specified limit value (sL)
of undrained or drained settlement.
(a) Immediate or undrained settlement
sL Eu
qa  2
  'o
B(1 - ν ) I P
(b) Consolidation or drained settlement
sL
qa    'o
mv ( I  1 ) H o
Check out the meaning of each symbols !!
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Ultimate bearing capacity
3.5 ULTIMATE BEARING CAPACITY OF
SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS
Terzaghi (1943) proposed a formula to determine the
ultimate bearing capacity of a infinitely long strip
footing. Later on the formula was extended to include
other footing shapes.

3.5.1 Strip foundation

3.5.2 Circular foundation
3.5.3 Square foundation
3.5.4 Rectangular foundation
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Ultimate bearing capacity formulae

3.5.1 Strip foundation

q f  cN c   o N q  0 .5 B N 

3.5.2 Circular foundation

q f  1.3cN c   o N q  0 .3 B N 

3.5.3 Square foundation

q f  1.3cN c   o N q  0 .4 B N  Nc, Nq and Nγ are
bearing capacity
3.5.4 Rectangular foundation factors depending
q f  1.3cN c   o N q  0 .6 B N  on angle Ф of the
soil.
Table of bearing capacity coefficients

Terzaghi’s bearing capacity coefficients

Table of bearing capacity coefficients
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Ultimate stability design

3.6 ULTIMATE STABILITY DESIGN FOR

SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS

Based on the work of de Beer (1967) and

Vesic (1970), the following general expression
seems acceptable :
qnf  cN c sc   o N q sq  0 .5γBN γ sγ - γD

Where Nc , Nq , and Nγ are bearing capacity

coefficients, and
sc , sq , and sγ are shape factors as
given in the following table.
Shape factors for shallow foundations
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Ultimate stability design

3.6.1 Foundations on sands and gravels

Bearing capacity calculations should be

carried out in terms of effective and the
previous equation becomes :

qnf  'o N q sq  0 .5γ'BN γ sγ - γ'D

However the values of  ' changes

depending on the position of groundwater
as given in the following table.
Reduction in
' due
to
groundwater
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Ultimate stability design

3.6.2 Foundations on clays and silts

Skempton (1951) suggested that for an undrained

saturated clay (φ = 0), the basic form of Terzaghi’s
equation should be used, but with the values of Nc
related to the shape and depth of the foundation.
For  f  cu : q f  cu N c  γD
and qnf  cu N c
(sin ce N q  1 and N γ  0)

Values of Nc may be obtained from the chart below.

 Skempton’s values
for Nc for
undrained
SOIL ENGINEERING (KJC322) conditions
ARM - 2007
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Ultimate stability design

3.6.3 Layered deposits

Effect of a weaker layer

BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Layered deposits

3.6.3.1 Thin layer over stronger deposits

Net ultimate bearing capacity, qnf  cu N cH

Where NcH = Skempton’s bearing capacity

factor modified as follows

B/H 2 2-7 >7

NcH Nc Nc + (B/2H -1) 7.6
and H = thickness of the thin layer
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Layered deposits

5.6.3.2 Underlying weaker layer

Assume that the applied load spreads laterally in the

ratio of 2 vertical : 1 horizontal. Therefore, at the top
of the weaker soil, the uniform applied is assumed to
be :
B
Strip footing : qw  q
B H 2
B
Rectangular footing : qw  q
( L  H )( B  H )
2
B
Circular footing : qw  q
( B  H )2
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Allowable bearing capacity of clay

3.7 EVALUATION OF ALLOWABLE BEARING

CAPACITY.

3.7.1 Allowable bearing capacity of clays

3.7.1.1 For a tolerable immediate settlement of si
si E u
qa  2
 γD
B(1 - ν ) I P
where
qa = allowable bearing capacity
B = least lateral dimension (breadth or diameter)
v = Poisson’s ratio
E = modulus of elasticity
Ip = influence factor for vertical displacement
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Allowable bearing capacity of clay

3.7.1.2 For a tolerable consolidation settlement of sc

sc
qa   γD
mv ( I  1 ) H
where mv = coefficient of volume compressibility
H = the thickness of the compressible layer
beneath the foundation or 2B, whichever is
least
I = the appropriate stress coefficient
corresponding to a depth of H below the
foundation
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Allowable bearing capacity of sands

3.7.2 Allowable bearing capacity of sands

Terzaghi and Peck (1948) proposed a correlation

between the allowable bearing capacity and the
corrected N-value in the form of a chart. (see next
two slides).
The breadth of the footing and the N-value are
used as entry data and the allowable bearing
capacity (qTP) is read off the left vertical axis
 BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Allowable bearing capacity of sands

Relationship
between N-value
SOIL ENGINEERING (KJC322) and φ’, NqARM
and Nγ
- 2007
 BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Allowable bearing capacity of sands

Relationship between
N-value and allowable
bearing pressure (after
SOIL ENGINEERING (KJC322) Terzaghi and Peck,
ARM1967)
- 2007
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Allowable bearing capacity of sands

The effect of water table may be taken into

account by applying the following correction :
1 Dw 
C w  1  
2 D  B
where Dw = depth of water table below surface
D = founding depth below surface
B = footing breadth

Thus qa  C w qTP
Yields conservative values with settlement < 25 mm
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOILS
Allowable bearing capacity of sands

Meyerhof (1965) suggested that the qTP values could be

increased by 50% and that no correction should be made
for the water table since the effect would be incorporated in
the measured N-values. He proposed the following simple
relationships :
sL N sL N
For B < 1.25 m : qa  For rafts : qa 
1.9 2.84
2
sL N  B  0.33 
For B > 1.25 m : qa 
2.84  B 
where sL = permitted settlement limit
N = average N-value between z = D and z = D + B*
B = breadth of footing