Seismic Bearing Capacity of a Rigid Footing Adjacent to a Cohesionless Slope

Abstract

At present, analytical or empirical formula for seismic bearing capacity of footings adjacent to slopes is not available. This study uses a pseudo-static-based approach in conjunction with rigorous Janbu's slice method to derive analytical values of seismic bearing capacity factors (Nγ) and correction factors for the effects of inertia of soil mass and load inclinations for a rigid footing adjacent to cohesionless slopes. It is shown that both the bearing capacity factors (Nγ) and the correction factors for the seismic bearing capacity of footings placed on level ground derived herein are comparable with those reported in the literature. Empirical equations regarding the effects of slope angles and load inclinations, expressed using generalized forms of those proposed in the literature, are also derived. It is also found that the empirical equations derived in the present study provide values of correction factors in good agreements with the analytical ones, indicating the validity of using these empirical equations for assessing the bearing capacity of rigid footings situated on the slope subjected to pseudo-static seismic loading.