Lecture 2 (b)

Bearing Capacity Theorems

Dr. Taeseo Ku

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 Limit Plasticity Theory Applied
to Foundation Bearing Capacity
 Plasticity theorems used to find bounds on collapse
 UPPER BOUND SOLUTION:
• Ignore equations of equilibrium;
• A mechanism of collapse is postulated; For each
increment of displacement, external work = internal
energy.
• Solve to find collapse load (must fail);
• Kinematically admissible;

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 Limit Plasticity Theory Applied
to Foundation Bearing Capacity
 LOWER BOUND SOLUTION:
• Ignore compatibility equations;
• Postulate a state of stress which is in equilibrium with
external loads and does not exceed failure criterion.
• Solve to find load to cause first yield. (cannot
collapse);
• Statically admissible;
 “True Collapse” falls in-between (Atkinson, 1981).

 Solve using principle of virtual work:

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 Limit Plasticity Solutions

General Description of Bearing Capacity Components:

B = Foundation width q = Surcharge/overburden
D = Foundation depth Zone I = Active wedge or elastic region
L = Foundation length/breadth Zone II = Radial shear or Prandtl zone
Q = Applied axial load Zone III = Passive failure region

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Limit Plasticity Solutions

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 FOUNDATION BEARING CAPACITY IN
AXIAL COMPRESSION
 For a vertically-loaded foundation, an ultimate stress
condition exists. The maximum force is referred to as the
bearing capacity which is associated with full
mobilization of the shear strength of the underlying soil
along a prescribed failure surface.
 General shear solution used in conventional practice is
based on limit plasticity theory
 Assumes the followings:
• Plastic equilibrium
• Plane strain conditions
• Active Rankine, Radial Shear (Prandtl), and Passive
Rankine Zones
• Soil above the foundation is surcharged
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 FOUNDATION BEARING CAPACITY IN
AXIAL COMPRESSION
 Form of bearing capacity equation:

• where c’ = effective cohesion intercept for drained effective

stress behavior (or c = cu = su = undrained shear strength for
total stress analysis), σvo’ = effective overburden stress, B =
foundation width (or d = diameter), γ* = effective or total unit
weight of the soil (depending upon groundwater conditions),
and the N terms are functions of the foundation shape and
effective stress friction angle (φ’) of the soil, corresponding to
the respective bearing capacity factors for cohesion (Nc),
friction (Nγ), and overburden (Nq).
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 FOUNDATION BEARING CAPACITY IN
AXIAL COMPRESSION
• For plane strain conditions (long continuous strip footing
bearing at the ground surface), the Prandtl- Reissner solutions
for the bearing terms are:

• Bearing capacity factors must be modified to account for

foundation shape (B = width; A = length) and bearing levels at
depth (L)

where the zeta terms (ζ) have dual subscripts: (1) c., γ, and q for bonding (cohesion
intercept term), friction, and surcharge/overburden; and (2) s = shape and d = depth. 8
 FOUNDATION BEARING CAPACITY IN
AXIAL COMPRESSION
• Shape and depth factors:

 Modified bearing capacity factors

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 FOUNDATION BEARING CAPACITY IN
AXIAL COMPRESSION
General B.C. solution reduces to two cases

UNDRAINED: (assume "φ = 0" for fast loading in silts, clays, and
soils with low permeability). In this case, *Nq = 1 and therefore:
 qult = Nc*∙su + σvo’
DRAINED: (assume c' = 0 for all loading conditions on sands and
for the slow drained loading of silts and clays with ∆u = 0). In this
case, the bearing capacity is:
 qult = ½ B∙γ∙Nγ* + σvo’∙Nq*

• For static loading of sands, only a drained analysis is conducted

• For clays and cohesive silts, both a short-term (undrained) and a
long-term (drained) analysis should be performed
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B.C. OF SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS IN PRACTICE
 In the case of shallow footings bearing near the ground surface,
the overburden term (σvo’) is small and can be neglected.

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B.C. OF SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS IN PRACTICE

Applied Drained Bearing Factors for Spread Footings and Mats 12

 B.C. OF DEEP FOUNDATIONS IN PRACTICE
 The limit plasticity solutions provide the axial capacity at the
base of the pile (tip).

Note that this calculation provides only the base component at ultimate loads
and does not include the pile side resistance

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 B.C. OF DEEP FOUNDATIONS IN PRACTICE

Applied Drained End-Bearing BC Factors for Deep Foundations 14

Bearing Capacity Evaluation - Caution
• Soft clay soils: short-term undrained B.C. is
generally critical compared to long-term
drained B.C.
• Stiff Overconsolidated Clay: long-term drained
B.C. may be critical compared to short-term
Undrained B.C. !!!

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Bearing Capacity Evaluation - Example
• A square footing (B=3.4 m) is constructed to
bear at the surface of a uniform soft clay layer
having an undrained shear strength equal to
110 kPa and unit weight of 18 kN/m3.
• Provide an evaluation of the maximum load
(force) that this footing can support and
recommend an allowable working load by
limit plasticity methods.

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