Purpose of calculation:

Determine the ultimate bearing capacity if the water table

is well below the foundation level and if the water table is at the surface.
Calculation Reference
Craig Soil Mechanics. R.F. Craig

Calculation Validation
Reproduction of a sample calculation from a published calculation reference.

Calculation Units SI2

Footing size
b= 2.25 m
d= 2.25 m
Footing is located at depth
D= 1.5 m
Shear Strength parameter
c'= 0 N/m²
Shear Strength parameter

ϕ' = 38 °
Unit Weight of Sand
γ= 18000 N/m³
Saturated Unit Weight of Sand

γsat = 20000 N/m³

Buoyant Unit Weight of Sand

γ' = 10200 N/m³

= exp ϕ' + 0.0609 = if(20>ϕ' , Nq1 , 0)

10.791
 Nq1 = #ADDIN? = exp
### = if(20>ϕ' , Nq1 , 0)
ϕ' + 0.0609 Nq1 = 0 ###
0 10.791
Nq2 = #ADDIN? = exp
### ϕ' - 4.2812 Nq2 = 0###
= if(20>ϕ'>40 , Nq2 , 0)
1 8.6095
Nq3 = #ADDIN? = exp
### ϕ' - 12.919 Nq3 = 0###
= if( ϕ'>40 , Nq3 , 0)
0 6.4645
Nγ = #ADDIN? = exp
### ϕ' - 12.899
5.8451
Nq = #ADDIN? ###= if( ϕ'<= 20 , N q1 , if[and{20<ϕ' , ϕ'<= 40} , Nq2 , if{ϕ'>40 , Nq1 , "not valid"}])

The Ultimate Bearing Capacity when the water is well below the foundation level

= (γDNq) + (0.4γbNγ)
qf = #ADDIN? N/m² ###
The Ultimate Bearing Capacity when the water table is at the surface

= (γ'DNq) + (0.4γ'bN γ)
qf = #ADDIN? N/m² ###
Table of compatible units
Length Area Volume Time Angle Mass Velocity Acceleration
Fundamental m m² m³ s ° kg m/s m/s²
SI m m² m³ s ° kg m/s m/s²
SI (mm) mm mm² mm³ s ° g mm/s mm/s²
US Unit (ft) ft ft² ft³ s ° slug ft/s ft/s²
US Unit (in) in in² in³ s ° lbf.s²/in in/s in/s²

Nγ Nq φ Nq φ
1.00 0 1.00 0
1.64 5 1.64 5
2.50 10 2.50 10
1 3.33 13 3.33 13
1.54 4.00 15 4.00 15
3.50 6.50 20 6.50 20 6.50 20
8.00 11.00 25 11.00 25
18.00 18.57 30 18.57 30
40.00 35.00 35 35.00 35
95.00 66.00 40 66.00 40 66.00 40
237.50 142.86 45 142.86 45
650.00 310.00 50 310.00 50

12 12

10 10

8
8

6
6

4
4
2
2
0
0 1 10
1 10 100 1000
 2
2
0
0 1 10
1 10 100 1000

ot valid"}])
 Force Unit Weight Moment LDForce Work Energy Power Density Stress
kg.m/s² N/m³ N.m kg/s² kg.m/s².m kg.m/s².m kg.m²/s³ kg/m³ kg/m.s²
N N/m³ N.m N/m J J W kg/m³ N/m²
N N/mm³ N.mm N/mm mJ mJ mW g/mm³ MPa
lbf lbf/ft³ lbf.ft lbf/ft ft.lb ft.lb ft.lb/s slug/ft³ lbf/ft²
lbf lbf/in³ lbf.in lbf/in in.lbf in.lbf in.lbf/s lbf.s²/in⁴ psi

1 10 100 1000
1 10 100 1000
x along length

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