Bearing capacity of strip footings on jointed rock mass

Abstract

Rock masses are non-homogenous, discontinuous media composed of rock material and naturally occurring discontinuities such as joints, fractures and bedding planes. Due to the presence of the geological discontinuities such as joints, faults and bedding planes, the compressive strength and modulus of elasticity of jointed rock mass are significantly reduced and the measurement of the strength behaviour of these jointed rock masses below the foundation becomes a challenging task. Previous researches have dealt with the bearing capacity of strip footings on the jointed rock mass for concentric, eccentric, inclined loading, separately. But, very limited work has been carried out for determining the bearing capacity of footings on jointed rock mass under eccentric-inclined loading together. In this study, the behaviour of rock masses under the pressure of strip footing has been investigated. To make the problem, more realistic, eccentric-inclined load was applied on the strip footing resting on horizontal jointed rock mass. A parametric study has also been carried out to develop some non-dimensional correlation between different parameters including GSI, e/B ratio, inclination, bearing capacity, etc. Three-dimensional analysis has been carried out by the finite element method using PLAXIS 3D software. Modified Hoek–Brown criteria was used to simulate the behaviour of rock mass and elastic behaviour of foundation was taken into the consideration for analysis. From the results, it can be concluded that the bearing capacity values drop as the eccentricity of the load increases. This indicates that as the eccentricity of the load increases, the bearing capacity of jointed rock mass diminishes. The bearing capacity value decreases with increasing loading inclination with respect to vertical. In the current study, non-dimensional correlations have been developed using data from non-linear elasto-plastic FEA to forecast footing’ bearing capacity, settlement and tilt of shallow foundation. These connections rely on the inclination of the load as well as the eccentricity to breadth ratio. The results obtained from the non-dimensional correlations holds goods on comparing the results obtained from the FEM analysis.