PLT (Plate Load Test) Plate load test is a field test which is commonly adopted to determine the bearing capacity and settlement of soil under a given condition of loading. In this test a square or circular rigid plate of standard dimension (generally 300 mm2 for square or 300 mm dia for circular) is placed … Read more
Values of Safe Bearing Capacity The safe bearing capacity of soil should be determined on the basis of soil test data or by performing some field test such as Standard penetration test or Plate load test etc. However, in the absence of soil test data, the values of safe bearing capacity (S.B.C) as given in … Read more
Types of Bearing Capacity Failures A bearing capacity failure is defined as a foundation failure that occurs when the shear stresses in the soil exceed the shear strength of the soil. Bearing capacity failures of foundations can be grouped into three categories, as follows: 1. General Shear Failure As shown in Fig-1, a general shear … Read more
Bearing Capacity Definitions Bearing capacity is the power of foundation soil to hold the forces from the superstructure without undergoing shear failure or excessive settlement. Foundation soil is that portion of ground which is subjected to additional stresses when foundation and superstructure are constructed on the ground. The term bearing capacity qualitatively refers to the … Read more
Step-by-Step Procedure for Calculation of Bearing Capacity from Standard Penetration Test Values or N-values Step-1 Perform standard penetration test on the location for which you want to calculate bearing capacity. This is done as per standard procedure given in IS-2131. Standard penetration test must be done at every 75 cm in vertical direction. Step-2 Decide … Read more
This simple and quick field test will give you a rough idea of bearing capacity of soil. Procedure Excavate a pit of required depth. (preferably equal to the depth of foundation) Take a solid ball or square cube of known weight and dimension. Drop the ball or square cube several times, from a known height … Read more
Techniques Used for Improving Bearing Capacity of Soil The following techniques can be used for improving bearing capacity of soil as per the site condition. Increasing depth of foundation Draining the soil Compacting the soil Confining the soil Replacing the poor soil Using grouting material Stabilizing the soil with chemicals 1. Increasing Depth of Foundation … Read more
What is Presumptive Bearing Capacity? Building codes of various organizations in different countries gives the allowable bearing capacity that can be used for proportioning footing. These are called presumptive bearing capacity values. These values are based on experience with other structures already built. What are The Values of Presumptive Bearing Capacity? The table given below … Read more
Based on Terzaghi’s bearing capacity equation, there are three components in contribution to the bearing capacity: (i) Surcharge pressure Foundations are normally not placed directly on the ground level. Instead, they are installed at a depth below the existing ground level. The soil pressure arising from the depth of soils serves as a surcharge imposing … Read more