Unit-IV Marks-12 TGPCET

ASSIGNMENT:4

Unit 4: Bearing capacity of soil (12-Marks)

1. Explain concept of bearing capacity of soil.

bearing capacity of soil.
bearing capacity is the capacity of soil to support the loads applied to the ground. The
bearing capacity of soil is the maximum average contact pressure between the foundation and
the soil which should not produce shear failure in the soil.
OR
It is defined as the maximum average intensity of applied pressure that loaded area can carry
before its failure.
• Bearing Capacity & its Importance
• Foundation design
• Consolidation & compaction of earth
• Earthen & Gravity dam
• Retaining walls
• Tunnel
concept of bearing capacity of soil.
1. Bearing capacity is important for design of foundation by conventional method.
2. The stress induced in the soil should be within limit
3. The stresses are mainly shear & bearing stress
4. Lateral movement of soil below foundation & shear failure.

2. Define earth pressure and differentiate between active and passive earth pressure.

Active Earth Pressure Passive Earth Pressure

1 The pressure exerted by backfill soil on 1 The pressure exerted by retaining wall on
retaining wall, is called as active earth soil is known as passive earth pressure.
pressure.
2 It is developed due to movement of wall 2 It is developed due to movement of wall
away from backfill towards backfill.
3 Active earth pressure should be less for 3 Passive earth pressure should more to
stability of retaining structures ensure stability of retaining structures.

By- Ms. Shweta Bhoyar 1

Unit-IV Marks-12 TGPCET
3. Define: Ultimate and safe bearing capacity of soil.
Ultimate bearing capacity (qu):
The minimum gross pressure intensity at the base of the foundation at which the soil fails in
shear.
Safe bearing capacity (qs):
The maximum pressure which the soil can carry safely without risk of shear failure is called
safe bearing capacity.
qs = (qns) + ( γ*D) = (qnf/F ) + (γ*D)

4. Enlist methods of improving bearing capacity.

1. Compaction of soil
2. Replacement of poor soil
3. Drainage Arrangement
4. By Increasing depth and width of Foundation
5. By use of Chemicals
6. Grouting

5. Factors affecting bearing capacity of soil.

Various factor affects the bearing capacity of soil.
1. Type of Soil
2. Size of grain
3. Degree of compaction
4. Stratification of soil
5. Pressure of water Table
6. Type of Foundation

6. Define coefficient of earth pressure.

The coefficient of earth pressure at rest is defined as the ratio between the horizontal
and vertical effective stresses.
Thus, it is a parameter that expresses the natural state acting on the soil.

7. Explain Standard penetration test for determination of bearing capacity of soil.

• The Standard penetration test ( SPT ) is widely used to get the bearing capacity of
soil directly at a certain depth. The consistency of clayey soils can often be estimated
from this test.
• When a borehole is extended to a predetermined depth, the drill tools are removed, and
the sampler (split spoon) is lowered to the bottom of the borehole.
• The sampler is driven into the soil, by hammer blows to the top of the drill rod. The
standard weight of the hammer is 140 lbs.(62.3 N) the number of blows required for
spoon penetration of three “6” inches (15 cm) intervals is recorded.
• The number or blows required for 12 inches penetration resistance of the soil. It is
generally referred as the ‘N’ value and measured in blows/unit penetration.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjWDOqQjsyQ)

8. Explain Rankine’s theory for lateral earth pressure.

Rankine approached the lateral earth pressure problem with the following assumptions:

By- Ms. Shweta Bhoyar 2

Unit-IV Marks-12 TGPCET
1. The soil is homogeneous and isotropic, which means c, φ and γ have the same values
everywhere, and they have the same values in all directions at every point (i.e., the
strength on a vertical plane is the same as that on a horizontal plane). This discussion
will be expanded later to consider layered soils, where each layer has different values of
c, φ and γ∙
2. The most critical shear surface is a plane. In reality, it is slightly concave up, but this is
a reasonable assumption (especially for the active case) and it simplifies the analysis.
3. The ground surface is a plane (although it does not necessarily need to be level).
4. The wall is infinitely long so that the problem may be analysed in only two dimensions.
5. The wall moves sufficiently to develop the active or passive condition.
6. The resultant of the normal and shear forces that act on the back of the wall is inclined
at an angle parallel to the ground surface.

9. Calculate active earth pressure and passive earth pressure at depth of 9 m in dry
cohesion less soil with an angle of internal friction of 300 and unit weight of 17
kN/m3.

10.Explain effect of water table on bearing capacity of soil.

1. Rise of water table from below the foundation resulted in decrease in bearing capacity
of soil.
2. If the water table Reaches the Ground level, rising from depth equal to or greater than
the width of footing, then the bearing capacity can be reduced by 50%.
By- Ms. Shweta Bhoyar 3
Unit-IV Marks-12 TGPCET

11.Define Backfill.
Backfill defined as the material retained by Retaining wall or supported structure is called
backfill.

12.Define lateral earth pressure & surcharge.

Lateral earth Pressure
Soil in contact with any vertical or inclined face of structure exerts force on structure
which is known as lateral earth pressure.

Surcharge
The backfill have its top surface horizontal or inclined. The backfill lying above
horizontal plane at elevation at top of wall is called surcharge

13.State any four assumptions made in Terzaghi’s analysis if bearing capacity of soil.

1. Soil behaves like ideally plastic material.

2.Soil is homogeneous, isotropic and its shear strength is represented by Coulomb’s
equation.
3. The total load on footing is vertical and uniformly distributed.
4. The footing is long enough with L/B = ∞.
5.The shear strength above base of footing is neglected and taken as uniform surcharge
γ Df.
6.The elastic zones developed has straight boundaries inclined at ψ =φ.

14.Compute the resistance of Pa and Pp at a depth of 8m in dry cohesionless sand with

angle of internal friction 300 and unit weight of 19 kN/m3.
Ka=1/3
Pa=50.64kN/m2
Kp=3
Pp=456kN/m2
(same as Question 9)

By- Ms. Shweta Bhoyar 4

Unit-IV Marks-12 TGPCET
15.Draw a neat labeled sketch of plate load test set up for determination of field
bearing capacity as per IS.

Figure: Plate Load Test using Reaction Truss Loading

Figure: Plate Load Test using Gravity Loading

By- Ms. Shweta Bhoyar 5