THE ULTIMATE CIVIL PE

REVIEW COURSE
SOIL MECHANICS
BEARING CAPACITY
Soil Mechanics
B E ARING CAPACITY

▪ Different types of foundations

▪ Shallow – spread footings, drilled footings, mats.
▪ Deep – piles, drilled shafts, and piers.
▪ Shallow foundations – depth is shallower than width.
▪ Deep foundations – depth is larger than width.
▪ Source: PERH Geotechnical>Bearing Capacity
B E ARING CAPACITY THE ORY
 B E ARING CAPACITY

▪ The ultimate bearing capacity, or pressure, is the pressure

that would result in shear failure. To avoid this, applied
pressures are limited to allowable bearing pressures (factor
safety is applied).

L
B
See Ch. 3 Geotech>3.4.2 Bearing Capacity Equation
 B E ARING CAPACITY – STRIP FOOTING S

cohesion
shape corr. factor surface density width shape corr.
factor (PERH BCF
(PERH BCF table) surcharge shape corr. table)
(if any)
factor (PERH BCF
table)

See Geotech>Bearing Capacity>Bearing Capacity Equation for

Concentrically Loaded Strip Footings in PERH section 3.4.2. See
Ch. 36 in the CERM.
B E ARING CAPACITY -SHAPE C ORRE C TION FAC TORS

▪ The general form of the bearing capacity

equation is only applicable for continuous or
stripe footings. For other geometries various
shape factors must be applied.
B E ARING CAPACITY -SHAPE C ORRE C TION FAC TORS

▪ For concentrically loaded square or rectangular

footings head to section 3.4.2.1
B E ARING CAPACITY FACTORS

See Geotech>Bearing
Capacity>Bearing Capacity
Equation for Concentrically
Loaded Strip Footings in
PERH section 3.4.2.1. See Ch.
36 in the CERM.
CL AYS AND SANDS CHARACTE RISTICS

▪ Clays (internal friction Φ=0, N𝛾=0, Nq=1)

▪ qult = cNc+𝛾Df
▪ Su=c=Suc/2
▪ Sands (c=0)
▪ qult = 0.5𝛾BN𝛾S+(pq+ 𝛾Df)Nq
STRU CTU RAL L OADS VS SOIL BE ARING CAPACITY

▪ If you think of structural loads as the demands

and the soil bearing capacity as the supply, then
thinking about this next section makes more
sense.
▪ All loads of a building/structure are transferred to
columns which go to foundations to the ground.
The gross bearing pressure is the total applied
pressure of the foundation acting on the soil at
the base of the foundation. This load includes the
column load (or net load), the weight of the
footing (Wc), and the weight of the overlaid soil
(Ws).
SHAL L OW FOU NDATION

CERM and other books uses qnet, while PERH doesn’t specify it – it’s
worth mentioning here.
P

qnet= (𝑞𝑢𝑙𝑡 − 𝛾𝐷)

𝑞𝑢𝑙𝑡 −𝛾𝐷
qallowable= 𝐹𝑆
Ws
D
Wc
q or applied pressure

B
𝑃+𝑊𝑠𝑜𝑖𝑙+𝑊𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑒
Stress at bottom of footing: qLoad= 𝐵(𝐿)
E FFE CTS OF W ATE R TABL E

See Geotech>Bearing Capacity>Bearing Capacity Equation for

Concentrically Loaded Strip Footings in PERH section 3.4.2.1.
E XAMPL E #1

Based on the following illustration, determine the ultimate bearing

capacity for the strip footing shown. Hint: The zone of influence due to
the footing load extends to a depth equivalent to approximately the
footing width.

GROUND

3 ft

10 ft
CLAYEY SAND
12 ft
 = 110 pcf
c = 300 psf
 = 25
SOL U TION #1

We must interpolate C factors for this case:

Case 3, 1.5B+Df=1.5(10)+3=18 FT is > 15 ft, the Dw.
GROUND Dw Cw𝛾

3 0.5

3 ft 15 ?

18 1

[(Cw𝛾-0.5)/(15-3)]=[(1-0.5)/(18-3)]
10 ft Cw𝛾= 0.9, Cwq = 1.
CLAYEY SAND
12 ft Look up bearing capacity factors from table:
 = 110 pcf
c = 300 psf For  = 25 :
 = 25 N q = 10.7
N c = 20.7
N = 10.9
y − yo y1 − yo qult = cN c + Cwq qN q + 0.5Cw  B f N 
=
x − xo x1 − xo = ( 300 )( 20.7 ) + (1) (110 )( 3)(10.7 ) + 0.5(0.9) (110 )(10 )(10.9 )
= 15136.5 lbf/ft 2 = 15.1 k/ft 2
E XAMPL E #2

Based on the following illustration, determine the allowable bearing

pressure for the square footing shown. Use Safety Factor of 2 and
consider the soil weight above the footing.

GROUND

2 ft

6 ft
POORLY GRADED SILTY SAND
10 ft
 = 103 pcf
 = 30
 SOL U TION #2
For  = 30 (use Table in PERH) :
N c = 30.1 ; N q = 18.4 ; N = 22.4
 B  N   6  18.4 
GROUND sc = 1 +  f   q  = 1 +  
L  N  = 1.61
 f  c   6  30.1 
2 ft B  6
s = 1 − 0.4  f  = 1 − 0.4   = 0.6
L  6
 f 
6 ft B  6 
sq = 1 +  f tan   = 1 +  tan 30  = 1.58
POORLY GRADED SILTY SAND L  6 
 f 
10 ft
 = 103 pcf
 = 30
qult = cN c sc + qN q sq + 0.5 B f N  s
= ( 0 )( 30.1)(1.61) + (103)( 2 )(18.4 )(1.58 ) + 0.5 (103)( 6 )( 22.4 )( 0.6 )
= 10141.79 lbf/ft 2 = 10.1 k/ft 2
There is no effect from water table, Case 3, q q −  Df
1.5B+Df=1.5(6)+2=11 FT is < 12 ft, the Dw), therefore, C qall = net = ult
FS FS
*not in PERH
factors are 1.
10.1 − ( 0.103)( 2 )
= = 4.95 k/ft 2
2
E CCE NTRIC L OADS

▪ If a foundation has a moment and a vertical load, then

an eccentric load is created. See PERH 3.4.2.2, Ch. 36 of
CERM.

If eccentricity is X-direction: B’=B-2eB ; L’=L

If eccentricity is Y-direction: B’=B ; L’=L-2eL
Use new B’ and L’ in qult equations
𝑃
q = 𝐵′𝐿′
E CCE NTRIC L OADS

▪ Maximum and minimum pressures will also occur on

each side of the footing.

Eccentricity, e = M/P
E CCE NTRIC L OADS

▪ Maximum and minimum pressures will also occur on

each side of the footing.
E XAMPL E #3

Assuming an eccentricity of 3 inches in the direction of B for the

square footing shown below and a factor of safety of 2.5, solve the
maximum load P that can be resisted by this footing. Note: Use
qnet=qult- 𝛾Df when solving for P.

2.5 ft L
3 by 3 ft B

 = 120 pcf
 = 30
c=0
 SOL U TION #3

 = 120 pcf qult = cN c sc + qN q sq + 0.5 B ' N  s

 = 30 2.5 ft
3 by 3 ft = ( 0 )( 30.1)(1.51) + (120 )( 2.5 )(18.4 )(1.48 ) + 0.5 (120 )( 2.5 )( 22.4 )( 0.67 )
c=0
= 10420.8 lbf/ft 2
q q − D
qall = net = ult
FS FS
For  = 30 (use Table) : 10420.8 − (120 )( 2.5 )
= = 4048.32 lbf/ft 2
N c = 30.1 ; N q = 18.4 ; N = 22.4 2.5
P
B ' = B − 2e = 3 ft − 2 ( 3 in / (12 in/ft ) ) = 2.5 ft qall =
B ' Lf
 B '  N   2.5  18.4  P
sc = 1 +    q  = 1 +    = 1.51 4048.32 = → P = 30362.4 lbf = 30.3 kips
L  N
 f  c   3  30.1  ( 2.5)( 3)
 B'   2.5 
s = 1 − 0.4   = 1 − 0.4   = 0.67
L   3 
 f 
 B'   2.5 
sq = 1 +  tan   = 1 +  tan 30  = 1.48
L   3 
 f 
E XAMPL E #4

Assuming an eccentricity of 3 inches in the direction of B for the

square footing shown below and a factor of safety of 2.5, solve the
maximum load P that can be resisted by this footing (assume linear
varying pressure distribution, use qmax and qmin to check). Note: Use
qnet=qult- 𝛾Df when solving for P.
P

2.5 ft L
3 by 3 ft B

 = 120 pcf
 = 30
c=0
 SOL U TION #4
qult = cN c sc + qN q sq + 0.5 B ' N  s
= ( 0 )( 30.1)(1.51) + (120 )( 2.5 )(18.4 )(1.48 ) + 0.5 (120 )( 2.5 )( 22.4 )( 0.67 )
= 10420.8 lbf/ft 2
 = 120 pcf q q − D
 = 30 2.5 ft qall = net = ult
3 by 3 ft FS FS
c=0 10420.8 − (120 )( 2.5 )
= = 4048.32 lbf/ft 2
2.5

For  = 30 (use Table) : Check:

N c = 30.1 ; N q = 18.4 ; N = 22.4
e B/6
B ' = B − 2e = 3 ft − 2 ( 3 in / (12 in/ft ) ) = 2.5 ft 3 3
 P  6e 
 B '  N   2.5  18.4  12 6 qmin = 1 − 
sc = 1 +    q  = 1 +    = 1.51 0.25  0.5 (OK) BL  B
L  N   
 f  c  3 30.1
P  6(3"/12") 
P  6e  4048.32 = 1 − 
 B'   2.5  qmax = 1 +  (3')(3')  3' 
s = 1 − 0.4   = 1 − 0.4   = 0.67 BL  B
L   3  → P = 72869.76 lbf = 72.8 kips
 f  P  6(3"/12") 
 B'  4048.32 = 1 + 
 2.5  (3')(3')  3' 
sq = 1 +  tan   = 1 +  tan 30  = 1.48
L   3 
 f  → P = 24289.92 lbf = 24.2 kips
 B E ARING CAPACITY

▪ As you solve problems a common theory question is what

appropriate foundation type is applicable to the situation
given. There are many.

▪ For Example:
▪ Compacted Sand
▪ Typically, a spread foundation, installed below frost depth
▪ Firm Clay
▪ Spread footings below frost depth to avoid shrinkage and frost heave
▪ Soft Clay
▪ You may look at using friction piles or piers. Piles reduce settlement, or you
may consider a mat foundation.
▪ Glacial Till or Rock
▪ You would want to hit that layer so deep foundations drilled piers would be
the preferred option.
 B E ARING CAPACITY

▪ Frost depth depends on your location. See

PERH>Geotechnical>Bearing Capacity>Frost Depth
COMING U P. . . .

▪ More bearing capacity problems!

▪ Next topic: Foundation Settlement!
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