Bearing Capacity and Settlement Under Earthquake Loading Assist. Prof. Dr. Rafi' M. S.

 Ultimate Bearing Capacity Under Earthquake Loading

(1) Bearing Capacity for Static Load:

The bearing capacity of any shape of foundation rested on c-∅ soil can be calculated using
any of the equations listed in Table (3.2).
For example; the bearing capacity for a surface continuous footing on c-∅ soil can be
determined by the general equation as:

qult.  cNc  q Nq  0.5 .B.N  ……….…..……………..……………….(1)

where bearing capacity factors Nc , Nq , N  can be obtained from figure (1) or table (3.2) for
specified Meyerhof's, or Hansen's, or Vesic's bearing capacity equation.

Figure (1): Bearing capacity factors

for static loading.
(2) Bearing Capacity for Earthquake Load:

Ref.: Richards, R., Jr., Elms, D. G., and Budhu, M., Seismic Bearing Capacity and Settlement of
Foundations, J. Geotech. Eng., ASCE, 119 (4), 622, 1993.

Richards et al. (1993), proposed that the bearing capacity for a surface continuous footing on
c-∅ soil can be calculated by:

qult.  cNcE  q NqE  0.5 .B.N E ………………………………………..(2)

where bearing capacity factors NcE , NqE , N E can be determined from figure (2).

Figure (2): Bearing capacity factors

for earthquake loading.

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Example (1): A shallow continuous foundation of B = 1.5 m, 𝑫𝒇 = 1 m, 𝜸 = 17 kN/m3, c = 30 kN/m2,
∅ =25o, 𝒌𝒉 = 0.25; 𝒌𝒗 = 0. Estimate the ultimate bearing capacity 𝒒𝒖𝑬 .

Solution:

From Eq. (2):

qult.  cNcE  q NqE  0.5 .B.N E ………………………………………..(2)

From Table (3.2):

Hansen's bearing capacity factors:

Nc  (Nq  1). cot  , Nq  e . tan .. tan2 (45   / 2) , N  1.5(Nq  1) tan 

for   25 : Nc  20.7 , Nq  10.7 , N  6.8

From figure (2), for 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃 = 𝑘ℎ /(1 − 𝑘𝑣 ) = 0.25/ (1−0 ) = 0.25;

𝑁𝑐𝐸
= 0.44 ; 𝑁𝑐𝐸 =(0.44)(20.7) = 9.108
𝑁𝑐

𝑁𝑞𝐸
= 0.38 ; 𝑁𝑞𝐸 = (0.38)(10.7) = 4.066
𝑁𝑞

𝑁𝛾𝐸
=0.13 ; 𝑁𝛾𝐸 =(0.13)(6.8) = 0.884
𝑁𝛾
1
qult.  (30)(9.108)  (1)(17)(4.066)  (17)(1.5)(0.884)  347.997  348 kN/m2
2

 Settlement of Foundation Due to Earthquake Loading

According to Richards et al. (1993, the settlement of a foundation (supported by a granular soil)
during an earthquake can be given as:
−4
𝑉2 𝑘∗
𝑆𝑒 = 0.174 𝐴.𝑔 | 𝐴ℎ | tan 𝛼𝐴𝐸 ………...………………………………..(3)
where 𝑆𝑒 = settlement,
𝑉 = peak velocity of the design earthquake,
𝐴 = peak acceleration coefficient of the design earthquake,
𝑘ℎ∗ = critical acceleration ratio (function of safety factor (FS) taken over the ultimate
static bearing capacity, embedment ratio (𝐷𝑓 /𝐵), and the soil friction angle (∅));
obtained from figure (3).

The variations of (tan 𝛼𝐴𝐸 ) with (𝑘ℎ ) and (∅) are given in figure (4).

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Figure (3): Critical acceleration 𝑘ℎ∗ for incipient foundation settlement (after Richards et al. (1993).

Figure (4): Variation of 𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝜶𝑨𝑬 with 𝒌𝒉 and ∅ (after Richards et al. (1993).
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Example (2): For the same foundation problem shown in example (1); if q all. = 348 kN/m2, A = 0.32,
and V = 0.35 m/sec, determine the settlement of the foundation that may undergo?.

Solution:

B = 1.5 m, 𝑫𝒇 = 1 m, 𝜸 = 17 kN/m3, c = 30 kN/m2, ∅ =25o, 𝒌𝒉 = 0.25; 𝒌𝒗 = 0.

for static load, the ultimate bearing capacity of a continuous footing is given by:

qult.  cNc  q Nq  0.5 .B.N  ……….…..……………..……………….(1)

Hansen's bearing capacity factors:

Nc  (Nq  1). cot  , Nq  e . tan .. tan2 (45   / 2) , N  1.5(Nq  1) tan 

for   25 : Nc  20.7 , Nq  10.7 , N  6.8

1
qult.  (30)(20.7)  (1)(17)(10.7)  (17)(1.5)(6.8)  889.6 kN/m2
2

𝑞𝑢𝑙𝑡. 889.6
𝐹. 𝑆. = = = 2.56
𝑞𝑎𝑙𝑙. 348

from figure (3): for F.S. = 2.56 and 𝐷𝑓 /𝐵 =1/1.5 = 0.67; the magnitude of 𝑘ℎ∗ ≈ 0.24

from figure (4): for ∅ = 25o and 𝑘ℎ∗ = 0.24; 𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝛼𝐴𝐸 ≈ 0.80
−4
𝑉2 𝑘∗
𝑆𝑒 = 0.174 𝐴.𝑔 | 𝐴ℎ | tan 𝛼𝐴𝐸 …………...………………………………..(3)

(0.35 𝑚/𝑠𝑒𝑐)2 0.24 −4

𝑆𝑒 = (0.174) (0.32)(9.81 𝑚/𝑠𝑒𝑐 2) |0.32| (0.80) = 0.0172 m = 17.2 mm