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The Bearing Capacity of Sand, tested by Loading Circular
Plates
Détermination de la force portante du sable, déterminée au moyen d ’essais avec plaques
circulaires
by B en t H a n sen , Civil E ngineer, H ea d o f R esearch D e p a rtm e n t, D an ish G eo te ch n ica l In stitu te , C o p e n h ag e n , D e n ­
m a rk .
Summary
The author gives the results of a large series o f bearing
capacity tests on circular plates on sand, performed at the Danish
G eotechnical Institute, with the theorical bearing capacities as
calculated from triaxial tests on the material.
Load bearing capacities of the circular plates are found to
be much larger than those predicted by theory, the difference
increasing with increasing densities of the sand. As yet no definite
explanation of this discrepancy has been found, but one effect
arising from the difference between a triaxial and a plane strain
rupture in sand seems to be com bined with a possible effect from
the layering of the sand.
Introduction
Since 1954 an extensive series o f b earing cap acity tests on
san d has been p erform ed a t th e D an ish G eo tech n ical Institute.
T h e m ain p u rp o se w as to d eterm in e the b earin g cap acity
factors N y an d N n in T erzaghis fo rm u la as fu n ctio n s o f the
friction angle 9 o f the san d as d eterm in ed by triax ial tests.
F o r p ractical reasons the tests w ere p erfo rm ed o n circu lar
plates only, w hich m eans th a t it is n o t the b earin g cap acity
factors d irectly th a t can be d eterm in ed , b u t th eir p ro d u cts
w ith som e shape factors. T h e value o f these shape factors
m ust be assum ed, b u t th e ir ra tio can be d eterm in ed by a sta ­
tistical analysis o f th e test results. W ith in certain lim its the
v ariatio n o f the bearing cap acity facto rs fo u n d b y the tests
m ay therefore represent a v ariatio n in the sh ap e factors.
T his lim itatio n w as accepted, because tests o n circular
(o r q u ad ratic) p lates are, as a ru le, m o re co n sisten t an d show
a sm aller scatter o f the test results th a n d o tests o n p lates with
a n o th e r shape. U sing the sh ap e facto rs assum ed in the cal­
cu latio n s, the test results are o f co u rse directly ap p licab le to
full scale fo u n d atio n s o f th e sam e shape.
A re p o rt o f the test p ro g ram m e w ith co m p lete test results
will be p u blished as a bulletin by th e D an ish G eo technical
In stitu te. T he a u th o r has su m m arised th e calc u latio n p ro ­
cedure a n d has given details o f th e m o st im p o rta n t results.
Properties of the sand
M ost o f the tests hav e been p erfo rm ed o n G 12 san d , w hich
is a m arine d eposit, ra th e r fine-grained, steeply g rad el m aterial
w ith w ell-rounded grains. Its g rain size d istrib u tio n cu rv e is
show n on Fig. 1, o n w hich is also indicated the m ost im p o r­
ta n t classification properties.
3A/17
Sommaire
La présente com m unication donne les résultats d ’une série
étendue d ’essais de charge de fondations circulaires sur sable.
Les valeurs de la force portante obtenues ont été comparées
avec les valeurs théoriques, qui correspondent aux angles de
frottem ent, trouvées par des essais triaxiaux.
On a trouvé des capacités portantes beaucoup plus élevées
que celles données p ar la théorie, et la différence augmente avec
les angles de frottem ent. Jusqu’à présent on n’a pas trouvé
l'explication définitive de cette différence, mais il semble que
l'on ait à la fois un mode différent de déform ation distinct
dans un essai triaxial et sous une fondation circulaire et un
effet possible de mode de mise en place du sable dans le bac.
Triaxial tests
T h e frictio n angle o f th e san d has been stu d ied by m eans
o f eight triax ial tests series fo r different void ra tio s o f the
san d , each series c o n tain in g five tests u n d e r different cell
pressures.
T h e tests w ere m ade o n cy lin d rical sam ples 14 cm high
a n d 7 cm d iam eter in a triax ial a p p a ra tu s, w here th e axial
force is ap p lied b y w eights th ro u g h a lev er m echanism . T he
sam ples w ere sa tu ra te d , a n d d u rin g the test, in w hich th e
ax ial force is increased in eq u al steps u n d e r a co n sta n t cell
pressure, each lo ad in g step being a b o u t 1 : 30 o f th e predicted
failu re lo ad a n d lastin g 4 m in u tes, the ax ial com pression
GramsueD(mmI
Fig. 1 G rain size distribution curve for the G 12-sand. Mean
diam eter DM = 0-24 mm, uniform ity ratio Dm/D10
= 1-67, grain density v s = 2-65. Extreme void
ratios : e max = 0-86, emin = 0-50.
G ranulom etrie du sable G 12. Di0 = 0-24 mm, DetJ/Dl0
— 1-67, Y , = 2*65. £max = 0 86, f m i n = 0*50.
659
a n d the volum etric d e fo rm atio n o f the sam ple w ere m easured. C7i — CTq sin CD c 2 cos cp , N
A typical set o f stress-strain curves fo r a series is sh o w n o n ---------“ = ,------- ■ “t :------- — (D
F ig. 2 (a d ju sted fo r m em b ran e pressure a n d e x p an sio n o f cross cr3 1 — sin cp ct3 1 — sin cp
sectio n al area).
T his e q u atio n rep resen ts a stra ig h t line in a d iag ram o f
CJi — (Jo 1
--------- - as a fu n ctio n o f — . T h e resu lts fo r a test series
ct3 ct3
are sh o w n in Fig. 3, show ing th a t (1) is in fact satisfied fo r this
series, i.e. th a t cp a n d c are in fact in d ep en d e n t o f <t 3. B y eq. (1)
th ey are d eterm in ed b y th e m eth o d o f least sq u ares fo r each
test series.

Fig. 2 Axial strain and volum etric deform ation as a function

o f deviator stress for a series o f 5 triaxial tests (No. 1)
on G 12-sand. Sample height 14 cm, diam eter 7 cm.
Loading by weights under a constant cell pressure.
D éform ations axiales et variations de volume comme
fonction du déviateur pour une série (n° 1) d ’essais
triaxiaux. H auteur de l’échantillon 14 cm, diam ètre
7 cm. Charge verticale sous pression constante dans
la cellule.
Fig. 3 Test results for triaxial series No. 1. M ean void ratio
e = 0-714. The mean line corresponds to cp = 29-0°,
c = 0-66 t/m 2.
T he failure load is determ in ed b y co m p lete failu re, in ter­ Résultats de la série n" 1 d ’essais triaxiaux. Volume
p o latin g by m eans o f the tim e cu rv e fo r th e last step, in w hich des vides moyen e = 0-714, po u r <p = 20-0°,
failure occurs, betw een th e axial lo ad in g d u rin g failure an d c = 0-66 t/m 2.
this value m inus the last lo ad in g step. T h e follow ing co rrec­
tio n s are applied to this value.
It is fo u n d th a t c fo r th e different test series d eterm ines a
1. E x p an sio n o f the cross sectio n al area, influencing the fu n ctio n o f e w hich is n o t sign ifican tly d ifferent fro m a c o n ­
d e v ia to r stress rlx — a3 as calcu lated fro m th e ax ial force. s ta n t (m ean value c = 0-70 t/m 2). cp, how ever, show s a definite
T h e la tte r is determ ined b y th e m easu red ax ial co m pressio n v a ria tio n w ith e, w hich c an be expressed b y th e sim ple fo rm u la
a n d volum etric d efo rm atio n , assum ing th a t th e sam ple retain s (o rig in ally g iven b y K érisel) :
its cylindrical form .
2. M em b ran e pressure, influencing a 3 as d eterm in ed b y the e ta n cp = K (2)
cell pressure. T his is determ in ed by a tensile test o n a strip o f
m em brane. w here K is a c o n sta n t (cf. F ig. 4).
3. A xial force in the m em b ran e d u e to th e co m p ressio n o f T his co n sta n t is fo u n d b y calcu latin g ag ain fro m th e test
th e sam ple, influencing th e ap p lied axial force. T his is d eter­ resu lts, this tim e w ith o u t allow ing fo r d ev iatio n s in e, b u t
m ined b y th e sam e test as in (2). d eterm in in g K a n d c fro m (1) a n d (2), using th e m eth o d o f
4. P isto n friction, influencing th e ax ial force. T his is a least squares.
fu n ctio n o f the ax ial lo ad in g b y a p ilo t test w ith a p ro v in g
rin g instead o f a sam ple inside th e cell.
5. T he ax ial force is also c o rrelated w ith th e sam p le w eight.
T his co rrectio n , to g eth er w ith a c o rrectio n o f ct3 fo r a h y d ro ­
static pressu re in the p o re w ater is, how ever, o f n o p ractical
im p o rtan ce. T he effect o f th e cell pressu re o n th e p isto n force
is co u n te rb a la n c e d d u rin g th e test.
* ^1 "
In a test series th e ru p tu re value o f ---------- fo r each test
<*3
is c o rrelated fo r possible d ev iatio n o f th e void ra tio e from
th e averag e value fo r th e series. T his is d o n e b y a p relim in ary
estim atio n o f cp an d c as a fu n ctio n o f e. If n ecessary, this
co rrectio n is checked, so th a t th ere is ex act co rresp o n d an ce
in the final calculatio ns.

T e st results o f tria x ia l tests Fig. 4 cp as a function o f e as determ ined by triaxial tests on

G 12-sand.
T he values o f cp a n d c are th en fo u n d fo r each series b y m eans cp en fonction de e pour le sable G 12, d ’après les essais
o f C oulom bs failure c rite riu m : triaxiaux.

660
 In this w ay th e values K = 0-426 (95 p er cen t confidence
lim its : 0-411 ^ K ^ 0-440) a n d c = 0-63 t/m 2 (confidence
lim its : 0-05 t/m 2 < c 1-22 t/m 2) are found.
T he value o f c seem s m uch larg er th a n w ould be expected.
It seem s im p ro b ab le th a t this value rep resen ts th e actual
cohesion o f the san d (unless th e sam ples w ere m o ist instead
o f satu rate d ). Since a sim ilar value is also fo u n d by triax ial
tests on d ry san d , it is assum ed th a t c m ain ly rep resen ts testing
erro rs fo r w hich allow ance is n o t m ade. If these erro rs are
in d ep en d e n t o f th e cell pressure, w hich seem s m o st p ro b ab le,
th e tru e friction angle is still fo u n d by calcu latio n (if th ey
increase w ith increasing cell pressure, th e tru e values o f <p
w ould b e even sm aller). As th e b earin g cap acity tests are
also calcu lated by elim inatin g th e influence o f c, it is clear th a t
the b earin g cap acity is a fu n ctio n o f <p, as described above.

B earing capacity tests

T he bearing cap acity tests are p erfo rm ed o n circu lar plates
on different sand surfaces w ith different void ratio s. F o r
loose densities th e san d is p o u red in to th e testing b o x (surface
area 1-3 x 1-3 m 2, d e p th 0-4 m ), b u t fo r dense layers th e san d
is tam p ed in layers each o f a b o u t 10 cm height. F o r each
surface a series o f tests is p erfo rm ed w ith p late d iam eters
from 3 to 15 cm , w ith different surface loadings, usu ally m ade
by a loose san d lay er fro m 0 to 6 cm thick. T h e v o id ratio
o f the san d surface is calcu lated fro m th e to ta l w eight an d the
to ta l volum e o f the san d in th e b o x , an d is also co n tro lled b y
w eighing a well defined volum e, sucked u p b y a sta n d a rd
m eth o d from inside a cy lin d er, w hich h as been pressed in to
the sand. T he w ater c o n te n t o f th e san d d u rin g th e tests is capacity test (No. 26.125). Plate diam eter B = 7-6 cm,
a b o u t 0-1 p er cent. void ratio e = 0-60, surface loading q = 19 0 g/cm 2
D u rin g th e test the plate is lo ad ed b y w eights placed o n (loading by water). Logarithm ic scale of t.
a lo ad in g p isto n as show n in Fig. 5. E ach lo ad in g step u su ally Tassement comme fonction de temps en commencement
lasts fo u r m inutes (allth o u g h lo ad in g steps u p to 24 h o u rs d ’un essai de charge (n° 26.125). B = 7-6 m, e = 0-60,
h av e been used fo r special purposes). It is a p p ro x im ately 1 : 20 <7= 19-0 g/cm 2(par eau). Echelle logarithm ique du tem ps.
to 1 : 40 o f the calcu lated failu re load. D u rin g each step the
settlem ent o f the p late is m easu red as a fu n ctio n o f tim e. A
typical set o f tim e-settlem ent cu rv es fo r a test (w ith 4 m inutes
steps) is show n in Figs. 6 an d 7.

/Loading weight s

Fig. 7 Time-settlement curves for the final phase of a bearing

Fig. 5 Loading arrangem ent for bearing capacity tests on a capacity test (No. 26.125). Linear scale of t.
sand surface with a surface loading by loose sand. Tassem ent en fonction du temps à la fin d'un essai
D ispositif de chargem ent superficiel d ’un sable meuble. de charge (n° 26.125). Echelle linéaire des temps.

661
 Fig. 6 show s the begin n in g o f the test, w here the tim e su rface (in itial d e p th D 0) o r in v ery loose san d , in b o th cases
cu rv es are d raw n w ith a log arith m ic scale o f tim e. In Fig. 7 D 0 + w is n o t insignificant in co m p a riso n w ith 10 B.
it is seen th a t the tim e cu rv es s ta rt ap p ro x im a te ly as a lin ear A ssum ing, as a first a p p ro x im a tio n , Nr = N q, dq = 1,
fu n ctio n o f time. an d qc = 0 , an d defining :
F ailu re is defined as the lo ad w hich co rresp o n d s to a m ax i­
m u m (o r, fo r very loose san d , an asy m p to tic) value o f the Po = 0-3 y B + 1-2 (q + q w) (6)
bearin g cap acity factors. W ith a reaso n ab le assu m p tio n for
the sh ap e factors, the bearin g cap acity is given by : it is seen th a t failu re co rresp o n d s to a m ax im u m of
p w
qf = 0-3 y B N y + 1-2 q dqN q (3) — reg ard ed as a fu n ctio n o f — . A s exam ples tw o such
Po B
T he surface lo ad in g q consists o f th ree term s : lo ad -settlem en t cu rv es a re sh o w n in Figs. 8 a n d 9, Fig. 8
co rresp o n d in g to a dense a n d Fig. 9 to a loose san d layering.
9 = <7 + <7 + <7c (4) T he cu rv es show th e lo ad in g in steps a n d th e settlem en t
d u rin g each step, co rresp o n d in g to a n increase in p 0 d u ring
T h e san d loading placed o n the surface is q, q w = y w ' s a the step. T he failure is p u t eq u al to th e lo a d in th e failu re step
co rrectio n fo r the settlem en t w o f the plate, w hereas m in u s h a lf th e step load.
N - 1
qc = c c o t cp — — co rresp o n d s to a scale effect w hich can Test results of bearing capacity tests
be described as a (possibly ap p a re n t) co h esio n o f the sand. T h e assu m p tio n s co n cern in g th e sh ap e facto rs w ere tested
d q is a d ep th facto r w hich ap p ro x im a te ly is p u t eq u al to : b y m eans o f a special test series (N o . 2.10) c o n ta in in g a large
n u m b er o f tests. In this series d q ca n be p u t eq u al to 1. T h e
D co m p lete b earin g cap acity fo rm u la is th e n :
d„ = 1 01 — (5)
B
9 / = Y sry B N r + s„(q + q w) N q + sqqcN 0 . . . . (7)
T h is facto r is o n ly used if th e p late h as been placed u n d er the
w here sr a n d sa are the sh ap e facto rs. In sertin g th e k n o w n
Z V p q u an tities fo r each test a n d m u ltip ly in g each e q u a tio n b y the

0.05

0.15

020

OJO

0J5
w/b
Fig. 8 Load-settlem ent curve for a bsaring capacity test Fig. 9 Load-settlem ent curve for a bearing capacity test
(No. 31.150) on a dense sand surface. B — 5,1 cm, (No. 29.168) on a loose sand surface. B = 7-6 cm,
e = 0-59, no surface loading. e = 0-72, no surface loading.
Tassem ent en fonction de la charge po u r un essai de Tassem ent en fonction de la charge p o u r un essai de
force portante (n" 31.150) d ’un sable compact. force portante (n" 29.167) d ’un sable de faible com ­
B = 51 cm, e = 0-59, pas de charge superficielle pacité. B = 7-6 cm, e = 0-72, pas de charge super­
uniform ém ent répartie. ficielle.
662
w eight facto r , w here A is th e p late a re a an d A P is the
A P
load increase in each step (this is d o n e because th e test e rro r
m ust be p ro p o rtio n a l to th e step load), th e th ree q u an tities
sy Ny, snN q an d sqq,.Nq a re th en fo u n d by the m e th o d o f least
squares. F o r this series it is fo u n d th a t Y Y (= 53-3) is
0-6
n o t significantly different fro m S ',* ' ( = 52-0), w hich m eans
1,2
th a t N y can be p u t equal to N a, sr to 0-6 an d sq to 1-2 as
o rig in ally assum ed. (3) can th en be tran sfo rm ed to :
qf = 0-3 y B + 1-2(q + q + qc) N„
or :
Po Po
(9) represents a straig h t line in a d iag ram ( — , — V
\P o P o/
diag ram is d raw n fo r all test series in o rd e r to o b ta in prelim i­
n a ry values o f N q a n d qc (cf. F ig. 10 fo r the surface 2-10).
I t is fu rth e r ascertained fo r each series th a t the p o sitio n o f
the test p o in ts in relatio n to th e m ean line is n o t sy stem atically
dep en d en t o n the plate d iam eter o r th e surface loading, sep a­
rately , w hich w ould in dicate th a t fo r th e series in q u estio n
s N s N
Y Y co u ld n o t be p u t eq u al to 4 4
0-6 1-2
Fig. 10 Test results of a bearing capacity test series (No. 2.10)
with different plate diam eters and different surface
loadings. M ean void ratio e = 0-68. The mean line
corresponds to N„ = 52-2, qc = 2-82 g/cm 2.
R ésultats d ’une série (n" 2.10) d ’essais de charge.
D ifférents diam ètres des fondations et charges
superficielles, e = 0-68, N a = 52-2, qc = 2-82 g/cm 2.
U sing the p relim in ary values th e final v alues o f N q an d qc
are fo u n d from (8) by th e m e th o d o f least squares, ap p ly in g
A A n o th er facto r influencing the test results is th a t fo r very
again the w eight facto r - (in som e test series it w as possible to
determ ine also the facto r o f £>/B in (5) b y this calculation).
T he values o f qc generally lie in th e in terv al fro m 1 to 5 gram s
p er sq. cm . ap p a re n tly w ith o u t a n y significant v ariatio n w ith cp.
N q as a fun ctio n o f cp, fo u n d b y the triax ial tests, is show n
in Fig. 11. T he line segm ents design the 95 p er cent confidence
(8)
(9)
T his
Fig. 11 Results of bearing capacity tests. N ri as a function of
<p com pared with Prandtls theoretical values.
R ésultats d ’essais de charge, N 0 fonction de ç com parée
avec les valeurs théoriques de Prandtl.
lim its, a n d th e av erag e values are ind icated b y a sm all circle.
T he co nfidence values o f cp d ue to th e sta n d a rd d ev iatio n o f
K a n d to th e testing e rro r in d eterm in in g e are n o t show n.
In th e sam e figure is show n th e th eo retical value o f N q as
given b y P ran d tl.
In this figure are also in d icated som e p o in ts (m ark ed 2.01-
2-05) co rresp o n d in g to tests in th e la b o ra to ry o n a fine grained,
d iluvial san d an d o n e p o in t (m ark ed D. V.) co rresp o n d in g to
a field test o n a n o th e r d iluvial fine sand. In b o th cases cp is
determ in ed in th e la b o ra to ry in th e sam e w ay as fo r th e G 12
sand.
D iscussion o f test results
I t is seen fro m F ig. 11 th a t alth o u g h the scatter in som e
cases is co n sid erab le, th e test results determ ine values o f N q
significan tly g reater th a n th e th eo retical values. T his result
m ay , a t least p artially , be exp lain ed b y th e different d e fo rm at­
io n co n d itio n s in a triax ial test a n d u n d e r a circu lar p late,
th e last m en tio n ed case resem bling m o re a plane strain ru p tu re
p ro b lem , w here th e frictio n angle is k now n to be g reater th a n
in a triax ial test. It is also possible th a t th e rin g stresses,
actin g o n ra d ia l p lan es th ro u g h th e axis o f th e p late, w hich
are relativ ely g reater fo r dense th a n fo r loose san d layerings,
because th e san d has th en been tam p ed , will ten d to increase
th e b earing cap acity o f th e plate, a n d possibly also influence
th e lo ad -settlem en t cu rv es (cf. the p aper by th e a u th o r on
sh ear b o x tests, 1961).
loose densities the ru p tu re figure is o b serv ed n o t to e x ten d
all the w ay u p to the san d surface, due to ru p tu re o f the sand.
T h is effect w o u ld decrease the b earin g cap acity o f plates on
loose san d . It seem s p ro b a b le th a t the co m p lete e x p la n a tio n
will co n sist o f a co m b in atio n o f the th ree facto rs m en tio n ed
ab o v e. As to the second one, field tests o n very dense d iluvial
sands, w hich are in acco rd an ce w ith th e results fo u n d in the
663
la b o ra to ry , seem to indicate th a t the h eav y p relo ad in g from [2] — (1961). Some Notes on Shear Box Tests on
ice d u ring the last ice age have p ro d u ced h o rizo n tal stresses Sand. Proc. Fifth Int. Conf. Soil Mech. and Found. Eng.,
co m p arab le w ith those p ro d u ced in the la b o ra to ry th ro u g h Vol. I. Paris.
tam p in g th e sand.
[3] G. G. (1950). The Bearing C apacity of Sand.
M ey erh o f
Ph. D. (Eng.) Thesis. Univ. o f London.
R eferences
[4] P ra n d tl L. (1920). Über die H ärte plastischer K örper.
[1] B ent H ansen and D. O d g a a r d (1960). Bearing Capacity Göttinger Nachr., m ath.-phys. Kl. p. 74-85.
Tests on Circular Plates on Sand. Bulletin No. 8, The
D anish Geotechnical Institute. [5] T e rz a g h i K. (1943). Theoretical Soil Mechanics. New York.

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