SOIL BEARING CAPACITY CALCULATION:

Project:
Location:

Reference:
1. B.M. Das. Principles of Geotechnical Engineering. 8th Ed.

Input Parameters:
kN
γs := 17.5 (Unit weight of soil)
3
m

cs := 72.0kPa (Cohesion)

ϕs := 0.0deg (Internal angle of friction)

ftgtype := 2 (Footing type 1: Strip)

(Footing type 2: Square)
(Footing type 3: Circular)
(Footing type 4: Rectangular)

Bin := 1.0m (Input foundation width/diameter)

Lin := 1.0m (Input foundation length)

Df := 2.5m (Foundation depth)

dw := 0.0m (GWT level measured from NGL)

Lfin := ∞ 1 m if ftgtype = 1

Bin if ftgtype = 2

Bin if ftgtype = 3

Lin if ftgtype = 4

Lfin = 1 m (Final foundation length)

β := 0deg (Angle of inclination wrt vert. axis)

Terzaghi Bearing Capacity Factors:

2
  ϕs   π tan( ϕs)
Nq :=  tan 45deg +  e =1 (BC factor for overburden pressure)
  2 

( ) ( )
Nγ := 2 Nq + 1  tan ϕs = 0 (BC factor for unit weight)
 Nc := 5.14 if ϕs = 0deg = 5.14 (BC factor for cohesion)

 N - 1  1  otherwise
( q ) tan ϕ 
 ( s)
Meyerhof Shape Factors:

 Bin   Nq 
Fcs := 1 +  L    N  = 1.195 (Shape factor for cohesion)
 fin   c 

 Bin 
Fqs := 1 +  L   tan( ϕs) = 1 (Shape factor for overburden press.)
 fin 

 Bin 
Fγs := 1 - 0.4   = 0.6 (Shape factor for unit weight)
 Lfin 

Meyerhof Depth Factors:

Df
Check1 := = 2.5
Bin

Check2 := ϕs = 0 deg

Fqd := 1 if Check1  1  Check2 = 0

 2  f 
D
1 + 2  (tan( ϕs))  ( 1 - sin( ϕs) )   B  if Check1  1  Check2 > 0
  in 
1 if Check1 > 1  Check2 = 0

 2  Df  
1 + 2 tan( ϕs) ( 1 - sin( ϕs))   atan B   if Check1 > 1  Check2 > 0
   in  
Fqd = 1 (Depth factor for overburden press.)

  Df 
Fcd := 1 + 0.4  B  if Check1  1  Check2 = 0
  in 
 1 - Fqd 
 Fqd - N  tan ϕ  if Check1  1  Check2 > 0
 c ( s) 
  Df  
 1 + 0.4 atan  B   if Check1 > 1  Check2 = 0
  in  
 1 - Fqd 
 Fqd - N  tan ϕ  if Check1 > 1  Check2 > 0
 c ( s) 
Fcd = 1.476 (Depth factor for cohesion)

Fγd := 1.0 (Depth factor for unit weight)

Meyerhof Inclination Factors:
2
Fqi :=  1 -
β 
 =1 (Inclination factor for overburden)
 90deg 

Fci := Fqi = 1 (Inclination factor for cohesion)

Fγi :=  1 -
β
=1 (Inclination factor for unit weight)
ϕs 
 

Effects of Ground Water Table:

kN
γw := 9.81 (Unit weight of water)
3
m

Case := 1 if d w  Df =1 (GWT case)

(
2 if 0  dw - Df  Bin )
(
3 if d w - Df > Bin )
es := 0.6 (Assumed void ratio of soil)

 es  kN
γsat := γs +  1 + e   γw = 21.179 3 (Saturated unit weight of soil)
 s m

q := γs d w + ( γsat - γw)  ( Df - d w) if dw  Df

(γs Df ) (
if 0  d w - Df  B in )
(γs Df ) (
if d w - Df > Bin )
q = 28.422 kPa (Overburden pressure @ ftg level)
kN
γprime := γsat - γw = 11.369 (Effective unit weight of soil)
3
m

dw kN
γbar := γprime +
Bin
( )
 γs - γprime = 11.369
3
(Modified unit weight of soil for C2)
m

General Bearing Capacity Equation:

FS := 3.0 (Factor of safety against GSF)

qu :=  c  N  F  F  F + q N  F  F  F + 1
 γprime Bin Nγ Fγs Fγd  Fγi  if Case = 1
 s c cs cd ci q qs qd qi
 2 
 c  N  F  F  F + q N  F  F  F + 1
 γbar  Bin Nγ Fγs Fγd  Fγi  if Case = 2
 s c cs cd ci q qs qd qi
 2 
 c  N  F  F  F + q N  F  F  F + 1
 γs Bin Nγ Fγs Fγd  Fγi  if Case = 3
 s c cs cd ci q qs qd qi
 2 
qu = 680.983  kPa (Gross ultimate bearing capacity)

qunet := q u - q = 652.561 kPa (Net ultimate bearing capacity)

qu
qagross := = 226.994 kPa (Gross allowable bearing capacity)
FS

qu - q
qanet := = 217.52 kPa (Net allowable bearing capacity)
FS