Maximum soil bearing capacity of different types of soil

Liton Biswas Foundation , Geotechnical Engineering , Structural No comments

The load of structure is coming on the soil. So we need to know the bearing capacity of
the soil. Bearing capacity of soil is used to indicate the maximum load per unit area
which is determined by a) Method of loading or b) Method of dropping weight. Dividing
the ultimate soil bearing capacity by a safety factor we get the maximum safe bearing
capacity of soil which is used to design foundations.
Read More:
Factors Affecting Soil Compaction
Fundamental of standard proctor test
Below are the maximum soil bearing capacity of different types of soil:
Type of soil
kg/m2
1. Soft, wet clay or muddy clay -- 5,000
2. Soft clay -- 10,000
3. Fine, loose and dry sand -- 10,000
4. Black cotton soil -- 15,000
5. Moist clay and sand clay Mixture -- 15,000
6. Loose gravel -- 25,000
7. Medium clay -- 25,000
8. Medium, compact and dry sand -- 25,000
9. Compact clay -- 45,000

Maximum safe bearing capacity

10. Compact sand -- 45,000

11. Compact gravel -- 45,000
12. Soft rocks -- 45,000
13. Laminated rock such as sand stone &
Lime stone -- 165,000
14. Hard rocks such as granite, diorite, trap-- 330,000