UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA PAHANG

Department of Civil and Environmental

Engineering

Foundation Engineering
BAA 4513
Chapter 2: Shallow Foundation Part 2 & 3

Dr. Muzamir bin Hasan

Shallow Foundation

 In designing shallow foundation, certain criteria are

to be considered
 The factor of safety against shear failure must be
adequate (FS = 2.5 – 3.0)
 Settlement must not be more than structures limits
– For cohesionless soil –  50 mm
– For cohesive soil -  75 mm
Terzaghi’s Theory of Bearing Capacity

 There is no method in obtaining the ultimate bearing

capacity of the foundation other than estimation
 The most popular – Terzaghi’s equations
 Assumption made
- only consider shallow foundations
- consider rough base
 There are frictions and cohesions exist between the
base and the soil
 These frictions and cohesions prevent failure wedge
from occurring underneath the foundation
Terzaghi’s Theory of Bearing Capacity

 Bearing Capacity
Failure
Terzaghi’s Theory of Bearing Capacity

 Bearing Capacity
Failure
 How do we estimate
the maximum bearing
pressure that the soil
can withstand before
failure occurs?
Ultimate Soil-Bearing Capacity
for Shallow Foundations
Ultimate Soil-Bearing Capacity
for Shallow Foundations
Terzaghi’s Ultimate Bearing
Capacity Equation
Terzaghi’s Ultimate Bearing
Capacity Equation
Terzaghi’s Theory of Bearing Capacity

The ultimate bearing capacity

1
qu  qc  qq  q  c' N c  qN q  BN 
2
Terzaghi’s Theory of Bearing Capacity

The gross allowable bearing capacity

qu
qall 
Fs
Total gross allowable load

Qall  qall B 2
Terzaghi’s Theory of Bearing Capacity

The net ultimate bearing capacity

qu ( net )  qu  q
The net allowable bearing capacity
qu ( net )
qall ( net ) 
Fs
The net gross allowable load

Q all ( net )  q all ( net ) B 2

Terzaghi’s Theory of Bearing Capacity

Factor of Safety
 Type of soil
 Level of Uncertainty in Soil Strength
 Importance of structure and consequences of
failure
 Likelihood of design load occurrence
Terzaghi’s Theory of Bearing Capacity

 Minimum Factor of
Safety
Terzaghi’s Theory of Bearing Capacity
L
Bearing Capacity Analysis – square base

GENERAL SHEAR FAILURE

B
 L/B = 1
qu  1.3c' N c  qN q  0.4BN 
 Where
 qu = Gross ultimate bearing capacity
 Nc N Nq = bearing capacity factor (Terzaghi, Meyerhof,
Hansen, etc. which are dimensionless and function of ) –
Table 9.7 for General Shear Failure.
Terzaghi’s Theory of Bearing Capacity

Bearing Capacity Analysis – square base L

LOCAL SHEAR FAILURE

B
 L/B = 1
 Where
q 'u  1.3c1 ' N 'c  qN 'q 0.4BN '
 qu = Gross ultimate bearing capacity
 N’c N’ N’q = bearing capacity factor (Terzaghi, Meyerhof, Hansen,
etc. which are dimensionless and function of ) – Table 9.8 for
Local Shear Failure.
2
c1 '  c'
3
Terzaghi’s Theory of Bearing Capacity

Bearing Capacity Analysis – circular base

GENERAL SHEAR FAILURE

qu  1.3c' N c  qN q  0.3BN 
 Where
 qu = Gross ultimate bearing capacity
 Nc N Nq = bearing capacity factor (Terzaghi,
Meyerhof, Hansen, etc. which are dimensionless and
function of ) – Table 9.7 for General Shear Failure.
Terzaghi’s Theory of Bearing Capacity

Bearing Capacity Analysis – circular base

LOCAL SHEAR FAILURE

 Where

q 'u  1.3c1 ' N 'c  qN 'q 0.3BN '

 qu = Gross ultimate bearing capacity
 N’c N’ N’q = bearing capacity factor (Terzaghi, Meyerhof,
Hansen, etc. which are dimensionless and function of ) –
Table 9.8 for Local Shear Failure.
2
c1 '  c'
3
Terzaghi’s Theory of Bearing Capacity

Bearing Capacity Analysis - strip footing L

GENERAL SHEAR FAILURE

B
 L/B > 5
 qu  1.3c' N c  qN q  0.5BN 
 Where
 qu = Gross ultimate bearing capacity
 Nc N Nq = bearing capacity factor (Terzaghi, Meyerhof, Hansen,
etc. which are dimensionless and function of ) – Table 9.7 for
General Shear Failure.
Terzaghi’s Theory of Bearing Capacity

Bearing Capacity Analysis - strip footing

L
LOCAL SHEAR FAILURE
B
 L/B > 5
 Where
q'u  1.3c1 ' N 'c  qN 'q 0.5BN '

 qu = Gross ultimate bearing capacity

 N’c N’ N’q = bearing capacity factor (Terzaghi, Meyerhof,
Hansen, etc. which are dimensionless and function of ) –Table
9.8 for Local Shear Failure. 2
c1 '  c'
3
Terzaghi’s Theory of Bearing Capacity

Bearing Capacity Analysis

Example A

 The plan of a 1.25 m square footing is shown

in Figure 9.11. Determine the gross
allowable load, Qall (Qall = qall x area of the
footing) that the footing can carry. A factor of
safety of 3 is needed.
Example A

1m

γ =15kN/m3
1.25m Φ’=20º
c’=9.6kN/m2
Solution

qu  1.3c' N c  qN q  0.4BN 
From Figure 9.7,
 '  20, N c  17.7, N q  7.4, N   3.6
q  D f  15 1  15kN / m
So,
qu  1.3(9.6)(17.7)  (15)(7.4)  0.4(15)(1.25)(3.6)
qu  220.9  111  27  358.9kN / m 2
Solution

qu 358.9 2
qall    119.63kN / m
Fs 3
Hence,
2 2
Qall  119.63  B  119.63 1.25  186.9kN
Example B

 Redo Example A assuming local shear

failure
Solution

qu  1.3c1 ' N 'c  qN 'q 0.4BN '

2
c1 '  (9.6)  6.4kN / m 2
3
From Figure 9.8,
 '  20, N c  11.8, N q  3.9, N   1.7
q  D f  15 1  15kN / m 2
So,
qu '  1.3(6.4)(11.8)  (15)(3.9)  0.4(15)(1.25)(1.7)
qu '  98.2  58.5  12.75  169.45kN / m 2
Solution

qu ' 169.45
qall    56.48kN / m 2
Fs 3
Hence,
Qall  56.48  B 2  56.48 1.252  88.3kN
Example C

 A square footing is shown in Figure C. The

footing will carry a gross mass of 30,000 kg.
Using a factor of safety of 3, determine the
size of the footing - that is, the size of B.
Example 9.3

30,000kg

ρ =1850kg/m3
1m Φ’=35º
c’=0
B
Solution

  1850kg / m3
1850  9.81
  18.148kN / m 3
1000
qu  1.3c' N c  qN q  0.4BN 
qu 1
qall    1.3c' N c  qN q  0.4BN 
3 3
Qall 294.3
qall  2 
B B2
Solution

So,
294.3 1
2
 1.3c' N c  qN q  0.4BN 
B 3
294.3 1
2
  1.3(0)(57.8)  (18.148 1)(41.4)  0.4(18.484)( B)(42.4)
B 3
294.3
2
 250.44  102.6 B
B
B  0.95m
Example D

 Refer to Example A. Determine the net

allowable load, Qall(net) with an Fs=3 against
the net ultimate bearing capacity.
Solution

qu  358.9kN / m 2
qu ( net )  qu  q  358.9  15  343.9kN / m 2
qu ( net ) 343.9
qall ( net )    114.6kN / m 2
Fs 3
2 2
Qall ( net )  (qall ( net ) )( B )  114.6 1.25  179.1kN

Note : For all cases Qall  Qall ( net ) .

Modification of Bearing Capacity
Equations for Water Table
Modification of Bearing Capacity
Equations for Water Table
Example E

 A square footing is shown in figure below.

For the following case, determine the safe
gross allowable load, Qall, that the footing can
carry. Use Terzaghi’s equation for general
shear failure. (FS=3). Given ρ = 1800 kg/m3,
ρsat = 1980 kg/m3, c’ =23.94 kN/m2, φ’ = 20º,
B = 1.8 m, Df = 1.2 m, h = 0.6 m.
Example E

h γ
Df Groundwater table

γsat

B
Solution

1800  9.81 3
  17.658kN / m
1000
1980  9.81
 sat   19.424kN / m 3
1000
 '   sat   w  19.424  9.81  9.614kN / m3
q   ( D f  D)   ' D
q  17.658(1.2  0.6)  9.614(0.6)
q  16.363kN / m 2
Solution

 '  20, N c  17.7, N q  7.4, N   3.6

qu  1.3c' N c  qN q  0.4 ' BN 
qu  1.3(23.94)(17.7)  (16.363)(7.4)  0.4(9.614)(1.8)(3.6)
qu  550.859  121.086  24.919
qu  696.864kN / m 2
qu 696.864
qall    232.288kN / m 2
Fs 3
Qall  qall B 2  232.288 1.82  752.613kN
General Bearing Capacity
Equation
General Bearing Capacity
Equation
QUIZ (10 minutes)

 A circular footing is shown in figure below.

For the following case, determine the safe
gross allowable load, Qall, that the footing can
carry. Use Terzaghi’s equation for general
shear failure. (Fs=3). Given ρ = 1800 kg/m3,
ρsat = 1980 kg/m3, c’ =23.94 kN/m2, φ’ = 20º,
B = 1.8 m, Df = 1.2 m, h = 0.6 m.
QUIZ (10 minutes)

h γ
Df Groundwater table

γsat