BEARING CAPACITY CALCULATIONS FOR FUTURE WELL

PAD

Bearing capacity of shallow foundation based on shear failure criteria:

The rectangular foundation of 10.00 m X 5.00 m proposed for the moving rig at the proposed
location. The total weight of moving rig is around 13000 kN. The moving rig consists of two
wheel bases, so the load coming on each wheel base is 6500 kN. Hence the total load intensity
coming on the soil below footing is around 130 kN/m2. The bearing capacity of soil need to
check in terms of shear strength and settlement.

For shallow foundations, the footing size, orientation and position relative to the ground surface
have an influence on the bearing capacity. Based on Terzaghis Bearing Capacity theory, the
calculation of net safe bearing capacity done both for General and Local shear failure criteria in
soil and is determined from the following relationship;

Q ult = cNcScdcIc + q(Nq-1)sqdqIq + 0.5BNsdIW -------for General shear failure

Q ult = 2/3cNcscdcIc + q(Nq-1)sqdqIq + 0.5BNsdIW ------for Local shear failure
Where,
Qult

=Ultimate net bearing capacity

Qsafe

=Net Safe bearing capacity

FoS

=Factor of Safety (2.5)

=Unit weight of soil

=Cohesion of soil

=Effective surcharge at the base level of foundation = *Df

=Width of Rectangular footing

=Length of Rectangular footing

Df

=Depth of foundation

Nc, Nq, N

=Bearing capacity factors (General Shear Failure Criteria)

Nc, Nq & N =Bearing capacity factors (Local Shear Failure Criteria)

sc , sq & s

=Shape factors

Ic, Iq & I

=Inclination factors

dc , dq & d

=Depth factors

dc

= 1 + 0.2 x Df/B x N

dq & d

= 1 for <10 degrees

dq & d

= 1 + 0.1 x Df/B x N

= tan2 (45+/2)

= Friction angle of soil in degrees

= Correction factor for location of water table.

As the size of foundation is large, the failure mode considered as general shear failure and
Sample calculations for net safe bearing capacity of shallow footing are as follows;

Generalized sub-surface soil profile adopted for design of shallow foundations:

Layer

Description

No

Depth below

H, m

EGL, m
From

To

sat

Cavg

avg

kN/m3

, kPa

avg

Silty Clay

0.00

5.40

5.40

18.00

20.00

Clayey Silt

5.40

8.00

2.60

17.00

5.00

Note: As the influence zone of foundation considered as 1.5 times of the foundation width,
the soil profile of up to 8.00 m considered in the analysis of bearing capacity and settlement
calculations. The undrained cohesion value of soil taken as 5N;

Type of foundation

= Rectangular foundation

Length of Foundation = 10.00 m

Width of Foundation = 5.00 m
Depth of Foundation = 0.5 m
Ground water table

= Ground water table is considered at ground level. Hence the effect of

water table considered.

For the calculation of the bearing capacity, it has been considered the weighted average of soil
properties as follows;

Cu

= 15.125 kN/m2

= 0o

Nc

= 5.14

Nq

= 1.0

sat

= 17.67 kN/m3

= 0.5

Shape of Shape factors

Depth Factors

S.No

footing

sc

sq

dc

dq

Raft

1.10

1.10

0.80

1.02

1.00

1.00

Q ult = CuNcscdcIc + q(Nq-1)sqdqIq + 0.5BNsdIW

Q ult = 15.125*5.14*1.10*1.02*1
= 87.23 kN/m2
Qsafe = 87.23/2.5 = 34.89 kN/m2

Estimation of Settlement of Foundation for the applied load:

As the soil consists of silty clay and clayey silt, the immediate settlement is negligible and hence
consolidation settlement calculated as follows;

Consolidation Settlement:
The consolidation settlement of cohesive soil layer underneath the foundation can be determined
by following equation as per general consolidation theory.

Where,
Cc

= Compression Index

Ht

= Thickness of compressible soil layer, m

e0

= Initial void ratio

Po

= Initial effective pressure at mid height of layer, kN/m2

= Pressure increment, kN/m2

The value of void ratio calculated by considering the specific gravity of soil as 2.7 and unit
weight of soil as mentioned in the soil profile. The compression index Cc calculated from the
equation of 0.30 (eo -0.27)

Estimation of Total Settlement of Foundation:

The total settlement calculation in each soil layer is presented below;

SPT
N

18.00

0.47

48.60

0.06

17.84

29.93

17.00

0.56

119.30

0.087

8.93

4.54

Layer

Ht,

Z,

No

mm

mm

kN/m3

5400

2700

2600

1300

p,

Cc

kN/m2

Sf, mm

kN/m2

TOTAL SETTLEMENT 34.47

Conclusion:
Based on the shear failure criteria the safe bearing capacity of 10.00 X 5.00 m raft foundation is
around 34.00 kN/m2 and the settlement is 35.00 mm. as the load intensity coming externally on
the foundation is 130.00 kN/m2 due to moving rig which is more than the bearing capacity of soil
and hence ground improvement is required.