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Terzaghi Bearing Capacity

Bearing capacity factors

  • \(N_c = \cot(\phi) \cdot (N_q - 1)\)
  • $N_q = \dfrac{e^{(\frac{3\pi}{2} - \phi)\tan\phi}} {2\cos^2(45 + \frac{\phi}{2})} $
  • \(N_{\gamma} = (N_q - 1) \cdot \tan(1.4\phi) \rightarrow \text{Meyerhof (1963)}\)

There are other equations for \(N_{\gamma}\) by different authors which can be found below:

  • \(N_{\gamma} = 1.5(N_q - 1) \cdot \tan(\phi) \rightarrow \text{Hansen (1970)}\)
  • \(N_{\gamma} = 2(N_q + 1) \cdot \tan(\phi) \rightarrow \text{Vesic (1973)}\)

Terzaghi Bearing Capacity for Strip footing

\[q_u = cN_c + qN_q + 0.5 \gamma BN_{\gamma}\]

Terzaghi Bearing Capacity for Circular footing

\[q_u = 1.3cN_c + qN_q + 0.3 \gamma BN_{\gamma}\]

Terzaghi Bearing Capacity for Square footing

\[q_u = 1.3cN_c + qN_q + 0.4 \gamma BN_{\gamma}\]

Terzaghi Bearing Capacity for Rectangular footing

\[ q_u = \left(1 + 0.3 \cdot \dfrac{B}{L} \right) c N_c + qN_q + \left(1 - 0.2 \cdot \dfrac{B}{L} \right) 0.5 B \gamma N_{\gamma} \]