Stability Charts for Closely Spaced Strip Footings on Hoek–Brown Rock Mass

Abstract

Footings are constructed closely to each other in mountainous rock areas and the determination of closely spaced bearing capacity footings on rock masses has become an important topic of recent research. The primary aim of this paper is to determine an efficiency factor, just like in the design of a pile group, that can be used to evaluate the bearing capacity of closely spaced footings on Hoek–Brown mass. The advanced finite element limit analysis of upper and lower bound theorems is used to study the stability of two and multiple interfering footings using the Hoek–Brown parameters such as GSI (geological strength index) and mi (Hoek–Brown yield parameter). This study found that the efficiency factor is influenced by three dimensionless parameters including GSI, mi, and S/B. Failure mechanisms of the problems are also investigated, and stability charts and tables produced for practical uses. Overall, these results broadly support the common understanding of the two key parameters GSI and mi in the HB failure criterion. As a result of these investigations, suggestions were identified for future research.