Evaluating the effect of embedment depth on collapse failure analysis of strip foundation

Abstract

Bearing ultimate capacity of shallow footing on uniform soil can be evaluated experimentally. However, analytical and experimental methods are difficult to analyze and predict complicated behaviour of soil beneath the footing collapse failure on layered soil. A strip footing on dense sand overlying soft clay of bearing capacity is computed utilizing the three-dimensional (3D) geometry model by finite element method analysis. The soil model of the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion is selected in the assessment. The effect of embedment depth with ratio foundation width (B) to the top layer thickness (H) exposed to vertical point loading is evaluated for different strength properties of soil layers. The present results were verified from established analytical formula. It shows the ultimate bearing capacity on layered soils on a strip footing increase in width of the footing. Local shear failure mechanism is observed in one of all cases with most cases indicate general shear failure mechanism occur for layered soil of dense overlying soft clay.