Considerations on Bearing Capacity Factors of Rough Strip Footing Using the Stress Characteristics Method

Abstract

In this study, to evaluate the bearing capacity of rough strip footing located on horizontal ground, a numerical algorithm has been proposed based on the stress characteristic lines method. To solve the aperture problem created beneath the footing, a solution procedure is suggested. The triple bearing capacity factors, the stress characteristics fields as well as geometric properties of plastic and non-plastic regions under the footing have been extracted. The obtained results are in an extremely good agreement with those presented in the literature. It was found that as the angle of internal friction increased, the bearing capacity factors and plastic span along the ground surface continuously increased. The maximum depth of the plastic domain affected by the stress characteristics fields was 1.63 times the footing's width and gradually moves toward footing edges. The depth of the non-plastic region is also increased and for $$\varphi = 45^{^\circ }$$ reaches 75% of the footing's width. Moreover, the width of the non-plastic region coincides with the footing base gradually moving toward the footing edges so that the ratio of the maximum width of the non-plastic curved wedge to footing width tends to one.