BC7

General Shear Failure Bearing Capacity:

o Form of Terzaghi equation essentially correct: bearing factors and extensions improved
o Desirable to analyze deeper footings (Df > B), inclined loads, eccentric loads, sloped
ground, and tilted footing base
o Several important solutions available:
Meyerhof (1963) uses = (45 + /2) and includes shear strength in soil above
footing, inclined and eccentric loads
Hansen (1970) similar to Meyerhof, adds slope and tilted base
Vesic (1973) similar to Hansen with modified inclination, slope, and tilt factors
All three methods use same Nc and Nq, but have different N

Do not mix the methods , compare if time & project dictate extra effort
Meyerhof Bearing Capacity Equation: (for general shear failure)
qu= (qc + qq + q

) = cNccscdci + qNqqsqdqi + BN

s
d
i
where: qu = ultimate bearing capacity
c = cohesion (qc due to c)
q = stress at depth of foundation = Df (qq due to q)
= average unit weight of soil under footing (q

due to )
(if completely submerged, use = = b)
B = width of foundation (= diameter for circular foundation)
cs, qs,
s = shape factors
cd, qd,
d = depth factors
ci, qi,
i = load inclination factors
Nc, Nq, N
= bearing capacity factors
Shape Factors (s):
for ( = 0) cs

,
_

+
L
B
20 . 0 1
qs =
s = 1.00
for (0 <10) interpolate between ( = 0) and ( = 10)
for ( 10) cs

,
_

+
,
_

+
2
45 tan
L
B
20 . 0 1
2
qs =
s
,
_

+
,
_

+
2
45 tan
L
B
10 . 0 1
2

Depth Factors(d):
for ( = 0) cd

,
_

+
B
D
20 . 0 1
f
qd =
d = 1.00
for (0 < 10) interpolate between ( = 0) and ( = 10)
for ( 10) cd

,
_

+
,
_

+
2
45 tan
B
D
20 . 0 1
f
qd =
d
,
_

+
,
_

+
2
45 tan
B
D
10 . 0 1
f

B
Q
q = Df Df
Soil:
, c,

BC8
Inclination Factors (i): for ( = 0) ci = qi =
i = 1.00
for ( = 0) ci = qi
2
90
1
1
]
1

,
_

i = 0
for ( > 0) ci = qi
2
90
1
1
]
1

,
_

i
2
1
1
]
1

,
_

(= 0 if > )
Bearing Factors (N):
) 2 / 45 ( tan e N
2 tan
q
+

( in radians)

tan
1 N
N
q
c
, Nc = 5.14 for = 0

) 4 . 1 tan( ) 1 N ( N
q

Note: in above equations should be the plane strain value, ps, (from a direct shear test) if
(L/B> 1) and the triaxial value, tr, if (L/B = 1). The following approximate correlation may
be used if needed:
for tr 34 ps = 1.5tr 17
for tr < 34 ps = tr (Lade and Lee, 1976)


0.01
0.1
1
10
100
1000
0 10 20 30 40 50
Friction Angle , degrees
B
e
a
r
i
n
g

C
a
p
a
c
i
t
y

F
a
c
t
o
r
,

N
c
Terzaghi
Meyerhof
0.01
0.1
1
10
100
1000
0 10 20 30 40 50
Friction Angle , degrees
B
e
a
r
i
n
g

C
a
p
a
c
i
t
y

F
a
c
t
o
r
,

N
Terzaghi
Meyerhof
0.01
0.1
1
10
100
1000
0 10 20 30 40 50
Friction Angle , degrees
B
e
a
r
i
n
g

C
a
p
a
c
i
t
y

F
a
c
t
o
r
,

N
q
Terzaghi
Meyerhof