PCS5- FOUNDATION &

RETAINING WALL DESIGN

Terzaghi’s Bearing Capacity Theory

 Terzaghi (1943) was the first to present a comprehensive theory for the
evaluation of the ultimate bearing capacity of rough shallow foundations.
According to this theory, a foundation is shallow if its depth, is less than or
equal to its width. Later investigators, however, have suggested that
foundations with equal to 3 to 4 times their width may be defined as shallow
foundations.
 Terzaghi suggested that for a continuous, or strip, foundation the failure
surface in soil at ultimate load may be assumed to be similar to that shown in
the Figure 3.5. The effect of soil above the bottom of the foundation may also
be assumed to be replaced by an equivalent surcharge, (where is a unit weight
of soil).
 1. The triangular zone ACD
immediately under the
foundation
 2. The radial shear zones ADF
and CDE, with the curves DE
and DF being arcs of a
logarithmic spiral
 3. Two triangular Rankine
passive zones AFH and CEG
 Terzaghi’s Bearing Capacity Equation:
Ultimate Bearing Capacity (General Shear Failure)
 …………………….(continuous or strip foundation)
 ……………….(square foundation)
 ……………….(circular foundation)

Where:

.
The bearing capacity factors are defined by:
Modification to Terzaghi’s Bearing Capacity Equation:
Ultimate Bearing Capacity (Local Shear Failure)
 …………………….(continuous or strip foundation)
 ……………….(square foundation)
 ……………….(circular foundation)

Where:
.
Factor of Safety

For Net Stress:

Where:
Sample Problem 1
A square footing is 2m x 2m in plan. The soil supporting the foundation has a friction angle of and
. The unit weight of soil, , is . Determine the allowable gross load on the foundation with a factor
of safety of 3. Assume that the depth of foundation is 1.5 m and that general shear failure occurs in
the soil.

Ans. 1438 kN
Modification of Bearing Capacity Equations for Water Table
Sample Problem 2
A square foundation (B x B) has to be constructed as shown in the figure below. Assume the , , ,
and . The gross allowable load, , with FS = 3 is 667.2 kN. Determine the size of the footing.

Ans.
General Bearing Capacity Equation
This formula is used to address the following:
1. Shallow foundations including rectangular footing (0<B/L/1).
2. The shearing resistance along the failure surface in soil above the bottom of the foundation
(the portion of the failure surface marked as GI and HJ in Figure 3.5).
3. If the load on the foundation is inclined.

′ 1
𝑞𝑢𝑙𝑡 =𝑐 𝑁 𝑐 𝐹 𝑐𝑠 𝐹 𝑐 𝑑 𝐹 𝑐 𝑖 +𝑞 𝑁 𝑞 𝐹 𝑞𝑠 𝐹 𝑞𝑑 𝐹 𝑞𝑖 + 𝛾 𝐵 𝑁 𝛾 𝐹 𝛾 𝑠 𝐹 𝛾 𝑑 𝐹 𝛾 𝑖
2
In this equation:

B = width of foundation (= diameter of circular footing.

, , = shape factors
, , = depth factors
, , = load inclination factors
bearing capacity factors
Note that the original equation for ultimate bearing capacity is derived only for the plane-strain
case (i.e., for continuous foundations). The shape, depth, and load inclination factors are
empirical factors based on experimental data.

Bearing Capacity Factors:

The basic nature of the failure surface in soil suggested by Terzaghi now appears to have been
borne out by laboratory and field studies of bearing capacity (Vesic, 1973). However, the angle
shown in Figure 3.5 is closer to than to . If this change is accepted, the values of for a given soil
friction angle will also change from those given in Table 3.1. With , it can be shown that

2 ∅′ 𝜋 𝑡𝑎𝑛 ∅ ′
𝑁 𝑞 =𝑡𝑎𝑛 ( 45 + )𝑒 𝑉𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑐 (1973)
2

𝑁 𝑐 = ( 𝑁 𝑞 − 1 ) 𝑐𝑜𝑡 ∅ ′ 𝑃𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑡𝑙 (1921 )

𝑁 𝛾 =2 ( 𝑁 𝑞 +1 ) 𝑡𝑎𝑛 ∅′ 𝑅𝑒𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑛𝑒𝑟 (1924 )

Sample Problem 3
A square footing is 2m x 2m in plan. The soil supporting the foundation has a friction angle of and
. The unit weight of soil, , is . Determine the allowable gross load on the foundation with a factor
of safety of 3. Assume that the depth of foundation is 1.5 m and that general shear failure occurs in
the soil.

Ans. 1830.8 kN
Sample Problem 4
A square foundation (B x B) has to be constructed as shown in the figure below. Assume the , , ,
and . The gross allowable load, , with FS = 3 is 667.2 kN. Determine the size of the footing.

Ans. 1.3m x 1.3m

Practice Problem 5
Practice Problem 6