CE 171 (FOUNDATION ENGINEERING)

PROBLEM SET

1. From plate load test done on a sandy soil,

the ultimate bearing capacity and
settlement of the 304 mm x 304 mm
plate were 250 KPa and 6.54 mm,
respectively. If the actual ultimate bearing
capacity and settlement of the footing is
1050 KPa and 16.5 mm, design the
dimensions of the actual square footing.
Round your answers to multiples of 0.10
m.
2. A 3 m x 5m footing, located 2.0 m below
the ground level and 0.5 m below the
ground water table, carrying a collinear
loading (acting on a line 1.5 m from the
edge of the footing length) of 300 KN
(0.2 m from the edge of the footing width),
250 KN ( 1.0 m away from the 300 KN
load), 1000 KN (3 m away from the 250
KN load) and a clockwise moment of 45
KN-m acting about the transverse axis of
the footing (the moment is caused solely
by a lateral loading of 225 KN applied on
the column carrying the 1000 KN load).
Using the concept of effective area
introduced by Meyerhof, determine the
gross allowable bearing capacity if the unit
weight of the soil is 17.5 KN/m3, saturated
unit weight is 19.2 KN/m3, cohesion is
zero, angle of internal friction is 30 using
a factor of safety of 3.
3. A square footing carries a gross load of
254850 kg. Its bottom is resting on a
ground water table, which is 2.5 m below
the ground surface. Assume FS is equal to
3. Use Terzaghis equation for local shear
failure.
Properties of soil:
= 30
= 1800 kg/m3
sat = 1980 kg/m3
c = 2440 kg/m2
Determine the minimum dimensions of
footing (2 decimal places), ultimate
bearing capacity (KPa), and net allowable
bearing capacity (KPa).

4. A square footing carries net allowable load

of 597.82 KN. Its bottom is 0.9 m below
the ground surface. The groundwater table
is located at a depth of 1.2 m. Assume a
general shear failure and use Terzaghis
bearing capacity equation.
Soil properties:
= 17.6 KN/ m3
c = 12.2 KPa
= 300
sat = 19.7 KN/m3
a. Compute the size of the footing using a
factor of safety of 3. Round up to
nearest 0.10 m.
b. Compute the ultimate bearing capacity
of the soil beneath the footing.
c. Compute the net allowable bearing
capacity using a factor of safety of 3.

5. A wall footing is to be constructed on a

clay soil 0.7 m below the ground. The
footing is to support a wall that imposes a
gross allowable load of 135 KN/m of wall.
Considering general shear failure and
using
Terzaghis
bearing
capacity
equation,
a. what footing width should be provided
to have a factor of safety of 3?
b. what will be the ultimate bearing
capacity and factor of safety if the
width of the footing is 0.95m?
Soil Properties:
= 17.3 KN/ m3
c = 14 KPa
Nc = 35
Nq = 22
N = 19
ANSWERS:
1. Use 1.3x1.3 m square footing
2. (qg)allow = 264.674 kPa
3. B = 2.74 m, qu = 1003.906 KPa, (qnet) =
319.920 KPa
4. B = 1.4 m, qu = 947.304 KPa, (qnet) =
310.488 KPa
5. A) B = 0.49m, B) qu = 912.553 KPa, FS
= 6.10