THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE

SCHOOL OF CIVIL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND MINING ENGINEERING

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING DESIGN III (C&ENVENG 3012, 7069)

M. B. Jaksa; B. T. Scott
PROBLEM SET No. 3

BEARING CAPACITY OF SHALLLOW FOUNDATIONS

SOLUTIONS
1. (i) Lower bound: (Eqn 2.5): qu 4c 4 30 120 kPa
(ii) Upper bound: (Eqn 2.8): qu 6.28c 6.28 30 188.4 kPa; (round down to nearest 5 kPa)
185 kPa
(iii) Terzaghis Equation: from Table 2.1, for = 0: Nc = 5.7, Nq = 1, N = 0.
qu = cNc + q Nq + 0.5 B N
( q = 0 and N = 0) (Eqn 2.9)

qu = cNc = 5.7c = 5.7 30 = 171 kPa; round to 170 kPa

(iv) Brinch Hansens Equation: from Table 2.2, for = 0: Nc = 5.14, Nq = 1, N = 0.
For strip footing: sc = sq = s = 1. all other factors are also equal to one (Table 2.3).

qu = cNc + q Nq + 0.5 B N
( q = 0 and N = 0) (Eqn 2.15)

qu = cNc = 5.14c = 5.14 30 = 154.2 kPa; round to 150 kPa

P

2.
1m

= 18 kN/m3; c = 15 kPa; = 20
1.5

Table 2.2: For = 20: Nc = 14.83, Nq = 6.40, N = 2.95

Nq
6.40
1
1.43 ; sq 1 tan 1 tan 20 1.36 ; s 0.6 ;
Table 2.3: sc 1
Nc
14.83
D
1

0.67 1 ; use equations (2.19), (2.20), (2.21)

B 1.5
1 dq
1 1.21
1.21
1.21 (3.89) 1.25
(Eqn 2.19) dc = d q
N c tan
14.83 tan 20
(Eqn 2.20) dq = 1 + 2 tan (1 sin)2 (D/B) = 1 + 2 tan (1 sin20)2 0.67 = 1.21
(Eqn 2.21) d = 1
(a)

Dw = 5 m > D + B = 2.5 m CASE 3

q = D = 18 1 = 18 kPa
(Eqn 2.15) qu = cNc sc dc + q Nq sq dq + 0.5 B N s d =
(15 14.83 1.43 1.25) + (18
189.6 23.9 = 611.1 kPa; round to 610 kPa
q
q q 610 18
610

qagross u
203 kPa 200 kPa qanet u
= 197 kPa; 195 kPa
FS
3
FS
3
Panet qanet A 195 1.5 1.5 kround to 435 kN
1

(b)

Dw = 2 m; >D = 1 m and < D + B = 2.5 m CASE 2

D D
2 1
3
w 1 w
18 9.811
18 3.27 14.73 kN/m
B
1.5

qu = 189.6 606.8 kPa; round to 605 kPa

Same as before

19.6

qu 605
605 18
201 kPa 200 kPa qanet
195 kPa

FS
3
3
qanet A 195 1.5 1.5 kN435 kN

qagross
Panet

(c)

Dw = 0 CASE 1
q Dw D Dw ' D' 1 18 9.81 8.19 kPa
qu = ( ) 490 kPa
Same as before

10.9

86.3

qu 490
490 8.19
163 kPa; round to 160 kPa qanet
160 kPa;

FS
3
3
qanet A 160 1.5 1.5 360 kN

qagross
Panet

3.

120

50

R 1202 502 130 kN (inclined load)

L = B, B = B and L = L
(Assume load applied in centre of footing)

V = 120 kN; H = 50 kN

2 1.5 / 1.5 3
1.5
1 1.5 / 1.5 2
(Using Eqns 2.25-2.27):
Since L = B, m

1.5

H
50

1
iq 1
V B' L' c cot
120 (1.5 1.5 15 cot 20)
1 iq
1 0.67
0.67
0.61
For > 0, ic iq
N c tan
14.83 0.364
m 1

1.5

50

212.72

2.5

H
50
50

1
1
i 1

2
212.72
V B' L' c cot
120 (1.5 15 cot 20)
qu = cNc sc dc ic + q Nq sq dq iq + 0.5 B N sd i
= (1514.831.430.61) + (8.196.401.360.67) +
(0.58.191.52.951.0.512)
= 242.6 + 57.8 + 5.6 = 306 kPa; round to 305 kPa
305 8.19
qa net
98.9 kPa; round to 95 kPa.
3
Hence, Panet kN; round to kN
Applied load (resultant) = 130 kN < 210 kN OK

0.67

2.5

0.512

4.

From Table 2.1: For = 30: Nc = 37.16, Nq = 22.46, N = 19.13

q D 18 0.7 12.6 kPa
(Eqn 2.13) qu = 1.3cNc + q Nq + 0.4 B N (for square footing)
= 0 + (12.622.46) + (0.4
= 283.0 + 137.74 B
q
250
3 250
qall = u ; and q all 2 ; qu
283.0 137.74 B
3
B
B2
45.91B3 94.33B 2 250 0
Solving by trial and error: B = 1.28 m

5.

0.5B tan 45 we need a preliminary estimate of . Use

2

Equation (2.33) but using weights of unity.

tan 35 tan 20 tan 0 tan 30
tan 1
22
4

22

H i 0.5B tan 45 0.5 2 tan 45

1.5 m
2
2

0 0.5 20 1
cav
13.3 kPa
1.5

In order to calculate

Only concerned with soil

below the footing

0.5 tan 35 1 tan 20

25.5
1.5

(close to our preliminary of so no need for further iterations);

av tan 1

q D 20 0.5 10 kPa;
0.5 20 119
and av
19.3 kN/m3
1.5
TERZAGHI:
From Table 2.1: For = 25: Nc = 25.13, Nq = 12.72, N = 8.34
qu = 1.3cNc + q Nq + 0.3 B N
= (1.3 13.3 25.13) + (10 12.72) + (0.3 19.3 2 8.34)
= 658.3 kPa; round to 655 kPa
BRINCH HANSEN:
From Table 2.2: For = 25: Nc = 20.72, Nq = 10.66, N = 6.76
Nq
10.66
sc 1
1
1.52 ; sq 1 tan 1 tan 25 1.47 ; s 0.6 ;
Nc
20.72
D 0.5

0.25 ;
B
2
dq = 1 + 2 tan (1 sin)2 (D/B) = 1 + 2 tan25.5 (1 sin25.5)2 0.25 = 1.077
1 dq
1 1.077
dc d q
1.077
1.084 say 1.08; d = 1
N c tan
20.72 tan 25.5
qu = cNc sc dc + q Nq sq dq + 0.5 B N s d
= (13.3 20.72 1.52 1.08) + (10 10.66 1.47 1.077) + (0.5 19.3 2 6.76 0.6
1) = 452.4 + 168.8 + 78.3 = 699.5 kPa; round to 695 kPa
3