Bearing Capacity Examples 1

In all these questions use partial factor set 'A1' + 'M1' + 'R1' from
the Tables below.
1.

A shallow strip footing of breadth 3.5 m is to be founded at a depth of

2.0 m in a soil which has the following (drained) properties c k' = 12
kN/m2 , ' = 25 , = 19 kN/m3. Determine the design bearing
resistance of the soil at this depth.

2.

A strip type footing will be required to transmit a total design load of

1.1 MN/m (includes self-weight of foundation) in a saturated cohesive
soil having the following (drained) properties c k' = 18 kN/m2, ' =
26, = 19 kN/m3. Determine the breadth of footing required at a
depth of 1.0 m. Assume D/B<1.

3.

A footing, 2.25 m square, is located at a depth of 1.5 m in a sandy

soil, the shear strength parameter ' = 38. Determine the design
bearing resistance of the soil at this depth (a) if the water table is
well below foundation level and (b) if the water table is at ground
surface. The characteristic unit weight of the soil above the water
table is 18 kN/m3 and the saturated unit weight is 20 kN/m3 .

4.

A strip footing is to be designed to carry a total design load of 2,000

kN/m at a depth of 0.7 m in a gravelly sand ('k' = 40). Determine
the width of the assuming the water table may rise to foundation
level. For the sand k.sat = 20 kN/m3 and above the water table k.bulk =
17 kN/m3. Assume D/B<1.

5.

A column is supported on a reinforced concrete pad footing 2.0 m

square and located at a depth of 4.0 m in a stiff clay (k.sat = 21 kN/m3
). The undrained shear strength of the clay is c u.k = 120 kN/m2.
Determine the design load the column can transmit. Assume the
following: the water table is at founding depth; the soil above the
water table is in a fully saturated state, and the unit weight of the
concrete and backfill material is equal to that of the clay removed
from the excavation.
1

The following should be used:

General Bearing Capacity equations (strip footing)
Drained condition: Bearing Resistance/unit area (R'/A) = c'Nc + q'Nq + 0.5BN
Undrained condition: Bearing Resistance/unit area (R/A) = (2+)cu + q
Bearing capacity factors
Nc = (Nq-1)cot' ; Nq = etan' tan2(45 + '/2) ; N = 2(Nq-1)tan'
Shape factors
TYPE

Condition

Rectangl
e

Drained

sc

sq N q 1

Square

Undrained

B

1 + L

1 0.3

Sin'

B

1+ 0.2 L

As rectangle

1 + Sin'

0.7

1.2

Drained

B

L

Undrained

Circle/

sq

N q 1

Depth factors
Condition

dc

dq

D/B 1

1 + 0.4(D/B)

1 + 2tan'(1-Sin')2(D/B)

1.0

D/B 1

1 + 0.4tan-1 (D/B)

1 + 2tan'(1-Sin')2 tan-1(D/B)

1.0

Note: the factor tan-1(D/B) must be expressed in radians not degrees

Partial Factors for Soil Properties (BS EN 1997-1:2004):

Set
Soil Parameter

M1

M2

Angle of shearing resistance*

1.0

1.25

Effective cohesion

1.0

1.25

Undrained shear strength

1.0

1.4

Weight Density
* This factor applied on tan'

1.0

1.0

Partial Resistance Factors (BS EN 1997-1:2004):

Set
Resistance

R1

R2

R3

Bearing

1.0

1.4

1.0

Sliding

1.0

1.1

1.0

Partial Factors for Actions (NA to BS EN 1997-1: 2004)

Action

Permanent

Variable

Set
A1

A2

Unfavourabe

1.35

1.0

Favourable

1.0

1.0

Unfavourable

1.5

1.3

Favourable

SOLUTIONS

10

11

12

13