Pseudo-static bearing capacity of shallow foundations on heterogeneous marine deposits using limit equilibrium method

Abstract

By application of the limit equilibrium method associated with Coulomb failure mechanism, the effect of variation of undrained shear strength with depth on seismic bearing capacity was evaluated. The approach followed in this study to take into account seismic forces is pseudo-static. It is also assumed that the occurrence of an earthquake does not have any effects on the values of soil cohesion. Two different marine soil deposits exhibiting linear and bilinear variations of undrained shear strength with depth were considered. The undrained bearing capacity factor has been computed as a function of dimensionless parameters of λ1B/c0, λ2B/c0, and Zt/B. The results of this paper have been compared with solutions reported in the literature, and the consistency of the results confirmed the ability of Coulomb failure mechanism and its corresponding limit equilibrium method formulation in static condition. Furthermore, the pseudo-static bearing capacity of shallow foundations on heterogeneous marine deposit is addressed. Finally the results of this study presented in the form of table and design charts.