CHAPTER 2

BEARING C APACITY OF SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS

Bearing Capacity Failure Patterns

(a) General Shear Failure

(b) Local Shear Failure

(c) Punching Shear Failure

1 of 9

Foundation Engineering / Chapter 2

Bearing Capacity of Shallow Foundations
Dr. Adnan A. Basma

Terzaghi's Bearing Capacity Theory

Bearing capacity failure under a rigid continuous footing

Terzaghi expressed the ultimate bearing capacity in the following forms

Strip Foundation:

q = c N + q N + 1 B N
c
q 2
u

Square Foundation:

q = 1. 3 c N + q N + 0.4 B N
c
q
u

Circular Foundation:

q = 1. 3 c N + q N + 0.4 B N
c
q
u

Where:

qu = Ultinate bearing capacity

q = Effective stress at the bottom of the footing = Df
Nc , Nq, N = Bearing Capacity Factors

Meyerhof and Hansen modified Terzaghi equations and produced a more

comprehensive equation. (See next page)

2 of 9

Foundation Engineering / Chapter 2

Bearing Capacity of Shallow Foundations
Dr. Adnan A. Basma

BEARING CAPACITY OF S HALLOW FOUNDATIONS

Bearing Capacity Equations

Df
B
L

= cohesion,
= internal friction angle
= unit weight,
= footing depth
= smallest dimension
= largest dimension
= inclination angle
Q = applied load
q = effective stress at the bottom of
the footing

///\\\///\\\///\\\///

///\\\///\\\///\\\///

Df
BL

Soil Properties: c, ,

1
qu (net) = c N c s c dc i c + q (Nq -1) sq dq i q + B N s d i
2
c-term

q-term

B-term

Where: qu(net) = Net ultinate bearing capacity

q = Effective stress at the bottom of the footing
Nc , Nq, N = Bearing Capacity Factors
sc , sq, s = Shape Fctors
dc , dq, d = Depth Factors
ic , i q, i = Bering Capacity Factors

Bearing Capacity Factors:

For > 0,

For = 0

N c = ( Nq - 1) cot

Nc = 5.14

2
N q = tan 45 + exp( tan )

Nq = 1, and
N = 0

N = 2 ( Nq + 1) t an

3 of 9

Foundation Engineering / Chapter 2

Bearing Capacity of Shallow Foundations
Dr. Adnan A. Basma

Shape Factors:
B Nq
sC = 1 +

L N c

For (a) Square footing: B = L

(b) Circular footing: B = L = D
(c) Strip footing: L

B
sq = 1 + tan
L

Where B = Smallest dimension

B
s = 1 - 0.4
L

L = Largest dimension

Depth Factors:
Df/B 1

Df/B >1

Df
d C = 1 + 0.4
B

-1 D f
d C = 1 + 0.4 tan
B

dq

2
-1 D f
d q = 1 + 2 tan (1 - sin ) tan
B

D
= 1 + 2 tan (1 - sin ) f
B
2

d = 1

d = 1

where tan -1 D f is in radians

B

Inclination Factors:
i

= i q = 1

90

i = 1

4 of 9

Foundation Engineering / Chapter 2

Bearing Capacity of Shallow Foundations
Dr. Adnan A. Basma

CORRECTION FOR WATER TABLE

CASE I: 0 dw Df

\\\///\\\///\\\///\

c-term: unchanged

CASE I

dW

CASE II

q-term: q = dws + (Df - dw)'

///\\\///\\\///\\\////

B-term: = '
CASE II: 0 d B

c-term: unchanged
q-term: q = Df s
B-term: = = ' +

CASE III
d
[s - ']
B

CASE III: d > B

Deep water table all terms unchanged
Note: '= sat - w and s = unit weight of soil above water table

CORRECTION FOR ECCENTRICITY

Effective dimensions: B' = B - 2eB and L' = L - 2eL
In bearing Capacity Equation:
Use B' and L' in B-term and shape factors
Use B and L in depth factors
6 eB
6 eL
Q

1
Area
B
L

Applied pressures: q max , min =

Where: Q = allowable applied load

eL = eccentricity in L-direction (distance from cgf to cgc in L-direction)
eB = eccentricity in B-direction (distance from cgf to cgc in B-direction)
cgf = center of gravity of the footing.
cgc = center of gravity of the column.

5 of 9

Foundation Engineering / Chapter 2

Bearing Capacity of Shallow Foundations
Dr. Adnan A. Basma

Pressure distribution under footing due to eccentricity

eL
(+, -) A

B (+, +)
eB
cgf

(-, -) C

D (-, +)

D
B

C
qmin

qmax

6 of 9

Foundation Engineering / Chapter 2

Bearing Capacity of Shallow Foundations
Dr. Adnan A. Basma

Bearing capacity factors

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45

Nc
5.140
5.380
5.632
5.900
6.185
6.489
6.813
7.158
7.527
7.922
8.345
8.798
9.285
9.808
10.370
10.977
11.631
12.338
13.104
13.934
14.835
15.815
16.883
18.049
19.324
20.721
22.255
23.942
25.804
27.861
30.140
32.672
35.491
38.639
42.164
46.124
50.586
55.630
61.353
67.868
75.314
83.859
93.708
105.109
118.371
133.876

Nq
1.000
1.094
1.197
1.309
1.433
1.568
1.716
1.879
2.058
2.255
2.471
2.710
2.974
3.264
3.586
3.941
4.335
4.772
5.258
5.798
6.399
7.071
7.821
8.661
9.603
10.662
11.854
13.199
14.720
16.443
18.401
20.631
23.177
26.092
29.440
33.296
37.753
42.920
48.934
55.958
64.196
73.898
85.375
99.015
115.309
134.875
7 of 9

N
0.000
0.073
0.153
0.242
0.340
0.449
0.571
0.707
0.860
1.031
1.224
1.442
1.689
1.969
2.287
2.648
3.060
3.529
4.066
4.681
5.386
6.196
7.128
8.202
9.442
10.876
12.539
14.470
16.717
19.338
22.403
25.994
30.215
35.188
41.064
48.029
56.311
66.193
78.025
92.247
109.412
130.215
155.544
186.531
224.637
271.750
Foundation Engineering / Chapter 2
Bearing Capacity of Shallow Foundations
Dr. Adnan A. Basma

Shape Factors for bearing capacity equations

Values of sc (inside table)
For L/B =
and
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45

Values of sq (inside table)

1.0

1.5

1.75

2.0

1.0

1.5

1.75

2.0

1.19
1.20
1.21
1.22
1.23
1.24
1.25
1.26
1.27
1.28
1.30
1.31
1.32
1.33
1.35
1.36
1.37
1.39
1.40
1.42
1.43
1.45
1.46
1.48
1.50
1.51
1.53
1.55
1.57
1.59
1.61
1.63
1.65
1.68
1.70
1.72
1.75
1.77
1.80
1.82
1.85
1.88
1.91
1.94
1.97
2.01

1.13
1.14
1.14
1.15
1.15
1.16
1.17
1.17
1.18
1.19
1.20
1.21
1.21
1.22
1.23
1.24
1.25
1.26
1.27
1.28
1.29
1.30
1.31
1.32
1.33
1.34
1.36
1.37
1.38
1.39
1.41
1.42
1.44
1.45
1.47
1.48
1.50
1.51
1.53
1.55
1.57
1.59
1.61
1.63
1.65
1.67

1.11
1.12
1.12
1.13
1.13
1.14
1.14
1.15
1.16
1.16
1.17
1.18
1.18
1.19
1.20
1.21
1.21
1.22
1.23
1.24
1.25
1.26
1.26
1.27
1.28
1.29
1.30
1.32
1.33
1.34
1.35
1.36
1.37
1.39
1.40
1.41
1.43
1.44
1.46
1.47
1.49
1.50
1.52
1.54
1.56
1.58

1.10
1.10
1.11
1.11
1.12
1.12
1.13
1.13
1.14
1.14
1.15
1.15
1.16
1.17
1.17
1.18
1.19
1.19
1.20
1.21
1.22
1.22
1.23
1.24
1.25
1.26
1.27
1.28
1.29
1.30
1.31
1.32
1.33
1.34
1.35
1.36
1.37
1.39
1.40
1.41
1.43
1.44
1.46
1.47
1.49
1.50

1.00
1.02
1.03
1.05
1.07
1.09
1.11
1.12
1.14
1.16
1.18
1.19
1.21
1.23
1.25
1.27
1.29
1.31
1.32
1.34
1.36
1.38
1.40
1.42
1.45
1.47
1.49
1.51
1.53
1.55
1.58
1.60
1.62
1.65
1.67
1.70
1.73
1.75
1.78
1.81
1.84
1.87
1.90
1.93
1.97
2.00

1.00
1.01
1.02
1.03
1.05
1.06
1.07
1.08
1.09
1.11
1.12
1.13
1.14
1.15
1.17
1.18
1.19
1.20
1.22
1.23
1.24
1.26
1.27
1.28
1.30
1.31
1.33
1.34
1.35
1.37
1.38
1.40
1.42
1.43
1.45
1.47
1.48
1.50
1.52
1.54
1.56
1.58
1.60
1.62
1.64
1.67

1.00
1.01
1.02
1.03
1.04
1.05
1.06
1.07
1.08
1.09
1.10
1.11
1.12
1.13
1.14
1.15
1.16
1.17
1.19
1.20
1.21
1.22
1.23
1.24
1.25
1.27
1.28
1.29
1.30
1.32
1.33
1.34
1.36
1.37
1.39
1.40
1.42
1.43
1.45
1.46
1.48
1.50
1.51
1.53
1.55
1.57

1.00
1.01
1.02
1.03
1.03
1.04
1.05
1.06
1.07
1.08
1.09
1.10
1.11
1.12
1.12
1.13
1.14
1.15
1.16
1.17
1.18
1.19
1.20
1.21
1.22
1.23
1.24
1.25
1.27
1.28
1.29
1.30
1.31
1.32
1.34
1.35
1.36
1.38
1.39
1.40
1.42
1.43
1.45
1.47
1.48
1.50

8 of 9

Foundation Engineering / Chapter 2

Bearing Capacity of Shallow Foundations
Dr. Adnan A. Basma

Depth Factors for bearing capacity equations

Values of dq (inside table)
Df/B

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2.0

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45

1.00
1.01
1.01
1.02
1.02
1.03
1.03
1.04
1.04
1.05
1.05
1.05
1.05
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.05
1.05
1.05
1.05
1.05
1.05
1.04
1.04
1.04
1.04
1.04
1.04
1.03

1.00
1.01
1.03
1.04
1.05
1.06
1.07
1.08
1.08
1.09
1.10
1.10
1.11
1.11
1.11
1.12
1.12
1.12
1.12
1.13
1.13
1.13
1.13
1.13
1.13
1.12
1.12
1.12
1.12
1.12
1.12
1.11
1.11
1.11
1.10
1.10
1.10
1.10
1.09
1.09
1.09
1.08
1.08
1.08
1.07
1.07

1.00
1.02
1.04
1.06
1.07
1.09
1.10
1.11
1.12
1.14
1.14
1.15
1.16
1.17
1.17
1.18
1.18
1.18
1.19
1.19
1.19
1.19
1.19
1.19
1.19
1.19
1.18
1.18
1.18
1.18
1.17
1.17
1.17
1.16
1.16
1.15
1.15
1.14
1.14
1.13
1.13
1.12
1.12
1.11
1.11
1.10

1.00
1.03
1.05
1.08
1.10
1.12
1.13
1.15
1.17
1.18
1.19
1.20
1.21
1.22
1.23
1.24
1.24
1.24
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.24
1.24
1.24
1.23
1.23
1.22
1.22
1.21
1.20
1.20
1.19
1.18
1.18
1.17
1.16
1.16
1.15
1.14
1.14

1.00
1.03
1.05
1.07
1.10
1.11
1.13
1.15
1.16
1.18
1.19
1.20
1.21
1.22
1.23
1.23
1.24
1.24
1.24
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.24
1.24
1.24
1.24
1.23
1.23
1.22
1.22
1.21
1.21
1.20
1.19
1.19
1.18
1.17
1.17
1.16
1.15
1.15
1.14
1.13

1.00
1.03
1.06
1.08
1.11
1.13
1.15
1.17
1.18
1.20
1.21
1.22
1.23
1.24
1.25
1.26
1.26
1.27
1.27
1.27
1.28
1.28
1.28
1.28
1.27
1.27
1.27
1.27
1.26
1.26
1.25
1.25
1.24
1.24
1.23
1.22
1.22
1.21
1.20
1.19
1.19
1.18
1.17
1.17
1.16
1.15

1.00
1.03
1.06
1.09
1.12
1.14
1.16
1.18
1.20
1.21
1.23
1.24
1.25
1.26
1.27
1.28
1.29
1.29
1.29
1.30
1.30
1.30
1.30
1.30
1.30
1.30
1.29
1.29
1.28
1.28
1.27
1.27
1.26
1.26
1.25
1.24
1.23
1.23
1.22
1.21
1.20
1.20
1.19
1.18
1.17
1.16

1.00
1.03
1.07
1.10
1.12
1.15
1.17
1.19
1.21
1.23
1.24
1.26
1.27
1.28
1.29
1.30
1.30
1.31
1.31
1.32
1.32
1.32
1.32
1.32
1.32
1.31
1.31
1.31
1.30
1.30
1.29
1.29
1.28
1.27
1.27
1.26
1.25
1.24
1.23
1.23
1.22
1.21
1.20
1.19
1.18
1.17

1.00
1.04
1.07
1.10
1.13
1.16
1.18
1.20
1.22
1.24
1.26
1.27
1.28
1.30
1.30
1.31
1.32
1.33
1.33
1.33
1.34
1.34
1.34
1.34
1.33
1.33
1.33
1.32
1.32
1.31
1.31
1.30
1.29
1.29
1.28
1.27
1.26
1.25
1.25
1.24
1.23
1.22
1.21
1.20
1.19
1.18

1.00
1.04
1.07
1.10
1.13
1.16
1.19
1.21
1.23
1.25
1.27
1.28
1.30
1.31
1.32
1.33
1.33
1.34
1.34
1.35
1.35
1.35
1.35
1.35
1.35
1.34
1.34
1.34
1.33
1.33
1.32
1.31
1.31
1.30
1.29
1.28
1.27
1.26
1.26
1.25
1.24
1.23
1.22
1.21
1.20
1.19

dc

1.08

1.16

1.24

1.32

1.40

1.35

1.38

1.40

1.43

1.44

9 of 9

Foundation Engineering / Chapter 2

Bearing Capacity of Shallow Foundations
Dr. Adnan A. Basma