Numerical check of the Meyerhof bearing capacity equation for shallow foundations

Abstract

Most geotechnical design codes and books use the equations of Meyerhof or Terzaghi to calculate shallow foundations. These equations are based on the failure mechanism published by Prandtl for shallow strip foundations. The common idea is that failure of a footing occurs in all cases according to a Prandtl-wedge failure mechanism. To check the failure mechanism and the equations of the currently used bearing capacity factors and correction factors, a large number of finite-element calculations of strip and circular footings have been made. The finite-element calculations show that in cases of soils with high friction angles, soils without cohesion or a surcharge, footings with inclined loading or circular footings, not the Prandtl-wedge failure mechanism, but other failure mechanisms occur. In addition, the currently used equations for the bearing capacity factors and correction factors are too high. Therefore, new equations have been presented in this article. For some correction factors, for example, the inclination factors and the cohesion slope factor, an analytical solution is found.