Elements of Soil Mechanics, 8th Edition

Bearing Capacity factors

This spreadsheet presents Table 8.1 from the book, together with the plot
Ng derived in the table.

In addition, the shape and depth factors (see Sections 8.6.2 and 8.6.3 in
be determined for a range of depths and foundation shapes using the last

Ian Smith, Sept 2005

 together with the plots of Nc, Nq and

ons 8.6.2 and 8.6.3 in the book) can

shapes using the last worksheet.
Bearing Capacity Factors

Chapter 8 - Table 8.1

φ Nc Nq Nγ Nγ (EC7) φ
0 5.14 1.00 0.00 0.00 25
1 5.38 1.09 0.07 0.00 26
2 5.63 1.20 0.15 0.01 27
3 5.90 1.31 0.24 0.03 28
4 6.19 1.43 0.34 0.06 29
5 6.49 1.57 0.45 0.10 30
6 6.81 1.72 0.57 0.15 31
7 7.16 1.88 0.71 0.22 32
8 7.53 2.06 0.86 0.30 33
9 7.92 2.25 1.03 0.40 34
10 8.34 2.47 1.22 0.52 35
11 8.80 2.71 1.44 0.66 36
12 9.28 2.97 1.69 0.84 37
13 9.81 3.26 1.97 1.05 38
14 10.37 3.59 2.29 1.29 39
15 10.98 3.94 2.65 1.58 40
16 11.63 4.34 3.06 1.91 41
17 12.34 4.77 3.53 2.31 42
18 13.10 5.26 4.07 2.77 43
19 13.93 5.80 4.68 3.30 44
20 14.83 6.40 5.39 3.93 45
21 15.81 7.07 6.20 4.66 46
22 16.88 7.82 7.13 5.51 47
23 18.05 8.66 8.20 6.50 48
24 19.32 9.60 9.44 7.66 49
50
φ Nc Nq Nγ Nγ (EC7)
0 5.14 1.00 0.00 0.00
1 5.38 1.09 0.07 0.00
2 5.63 1.20 0.15 0.01
3 5.90 1.31 0.24 0.03
4 6.19 1.43 0.34 0.06
5 6.49 1.57 0.45 0.10
6 6.81 1.72 0.57 0.15
7 7.16 1.88 0.71 0.22
8 7.53 2.06 0.86 0.30
9 7.92 2.25 1.03 0.40
10 8.34 2.47 1.22 0.52
11 8.80 2.71 1.44 0.66
12 9.28 2.97 1.69 0.84
13 9.81 3.26 1.97 1.05
14 10.37 3.59 2.29 1.29
15 10.98 3.94 2.65 1.58
16 11.63 4.34 3.06 1.91
17 12.34 4.77 3.53 2.31
18 13.10 5.26 4.07 2.77
19 13.93 5.80 4.68 3.30
20 14.83 6.40 5.39 3.93
21 15.81 7.07 6.20 4.66
22 16.88 7.82 7.13 5.51
23 18.05 8.66 8.20 6.50
24 19.32 9.60 9.44 7.66
25 20.72 10.66 10.88 9.01
26 22.25 11.85 12.54 10.59
27 23.94 13.20 14.47 12.43
28 25.80 14.72 16.72 14.59
29 27.86 16.44 19.34 17.12
30 30.14 18.40 22.40 20.09
31 32.67 20.63 25.99 23.59
32 35.49 23.18 30.21 27.72
33 38.64 26.09 35.19 32.59
34 42.16 29.44 41.06 38.37
35 46.12 33.30 48.03 45.23
36 50.59 37.75 56.31 53.40
37 55.63 42.92 66.19 63.18
38 61.35 48.93 78.02 74.90
39 67.87 55.96 92.25 89.01
40 75.31 64.20 109.41 106.05
41 83.86 73.90 130.21 126.74
42 93.71 85.37 155.54 151.94
43 105.11 99.01 186.53 182.80
44 118.37 115.31 224.63 220.77
45 133.87 134.87 271.75 267.75
46 152.10 158.50 330.34 326.20
47 173.64 187.21 403.65 399.36
48 199.26 222.30 496.00 491.56
49 229.92 265.50 613.14 608.54
50 266.88 319.06 762.86 758.09
 Nc Nq Nγ Nγ (EC7)
20.72 10.66 10.88 9.01
22.25 11.85 12.54 10.59
23.94 13.20 14.47 12.43
25.80 14.72 16.72 14.59
27.86 16.44 19.34 17.12
30.14 18.40 22.40 20.09
32.67 20.63 25.99 23.59
35.49 23.18 30.21 27.72
38.64 26.09 35.19 32.59
42.16 29.44 41.06 38.37
46.12 33.30 48.03 45.23
50.59 37.75 56.31 53.40
55.63 42.92 66.19 63.18
61.35 48.93 78.02 74.90
67.87 55.96 92.25 89.01
75.31 64.20 109.41 106.05
83.86 73.90 130.21 126.74
93.71 85.37 155.54 151.94
105.11 99.01 186.53 182.80
118.37 115.31 224.63 220.77
133.87 134.87 271.75 267.75
152.10 158.50 330.34 326.20
173.64 187.21 403.65 399.36
199.26 222.30 496.00 491.56
229.92 265.50 613.14 608.54
266.88 319.06 762.86 758.09
 Bearing capacity factor, Nc and Nq
φ°
50

40

30
N
c

20

10

0
0.0 50.0 100.0 150.0 200.0 250.0 300.0 350.0
Nc, Nq
 Bearing capacity factor, Ng
φ°
50

40

30

20

10

0
0.0 100.0 200.0 300.0 400.0 500.0 600.0 700.0 800.0
Ng
 Input:
Shape and depth factors B= 2 m
L= 4 m
Sections 8.6.2 & 8.6.3 z= 1 m
& worked examples

φ Nc Nq Nγ Sc Sq Dq φ
0 5.14 1.00 0.00 1.10 1.00 1.00 25
1 5.38 1.09 0.07 1.10 1.01 1.02 26
2 5.63 1.20 0.15 1.11 1.02 1.03 27
3 5.90 1.31 0.24 1.11 1.03 1.05 28
4 6.19 1.43 0.34 1.12 1.03 1.06 29
5 6.49 1.57 0.45 1.12 1.04 1.07 30
6 6.81 1.72 0.57 1.13 1.05 1.08 31
7 7.16 1.88 0.71 1.13 1.06 1.09 32
8 7.53 2.06 0.86 1.14 1.07 1.10 33
9 7.92 2.25 1.03 1.14 1.08 1.11 34
10 8.34 2.47 1.22 1.15 1.09 1.12 35
11 8.80 2.71 1.44 1.15 1.10 1.13 36
12 9.28 2.97 1.69 1.16 1.11 1.13 37
13 9.81 3.26 1.97 1.17 1.12 1.14 38
14 10.37 3.59 2.29 1.17 1.12 1.14 39
15 10.98 3.94 2.65 1.18 1.13 1.15 40
16 11.63 4.34 3.06 1.19 1.14 1.15 41
17 12.34 4.77 3.53 1.19 1.15 1.15 42
18 13.10 5.26 4.07 1.20 1.16 1.16 43
19 13.93 5.80 4.68 1.21 1.17 1.16 44
20 14.83 6.40 5.39 1.22 1.18 1.16 45
21 15.81 7.07 6.20 1.22 1.19 1.16 46
22 16.88 7.82 7.13 1.23 1.20 1.16 47
23 18.05 8.66 8.20 1.24 1.21 1.16 48
24 19.32 9.60 9.44 1.25 1.22 1.16 49
 Sγ = 0.80
Dc = 1.20
Dγ = 1.00

Nc Nq Nγ Sc Sq Dq
20.72 10.66 10.88 1.26 1.23 1.16
22.25 11.85 12.54 1.27 1.24 1.15
23.94 13.20 14.47 1.28 1.25 1.15
25.80 14.72 16.72 1.29 1.27 1.15
27.86 16.44 19.34 1.30 1.28 1.15
30.14 18.40 22.40 1.31 1.29 1.14
32.67 20.63 25.99 1.32 1.30 1.14
35.49 23.18 30.21 1.33 1.31 1.14
38.64 26.09 35.19 1.34 1.32 1.13
42.16 29.44 41.06 1.35 1.34 1.13
46.12 33.30 48.03 1.36 1.35 1.13
50.59 37.75 56.31 1.37 1.36 1.12
55.63 42.92 66.19 1.39 1.38 1.12
61.35 48.93 78.02 1.40 1.39 1.12
67.87 55.96 92.25 1.41 1.40 1.11
75.31 64.20 109.41 1.43 1.42 1.11
83.86 73.90 130.21 1.44 1.43 1.10
93.71 85.37 155.54 1.46 1.45 1.10
105.11 99.01 186.53 1.47 1.47 1.09
118.37 115.31 224.63 1.49 1.48 1.09
133.87 134.87 271.75 1.50 1.50 1.09
152.10 158.50 330.34 1.52 1.52 1.08
173.64 187.21 403.65 1.54 1.54 1.08
199.26 222.30 496.00 1.56 1.56 1.07
229.92 265.50 613.14 1.58 1.58 1.07
This spreadsheet has been downloaded from the website that supports
Smith's Elements of Soil Mechanics, 8th Edition

Published by Blackwell Publishing, May 2006

ISBN: 1-4051-3370-8

Visit the website:

http://sbe.napier.ac.uk/esm

Purchase the book:

(Blackwell Publishing website)

Please note:
This spreadsheet is an aid for learning and should really only be
used in conjunction with the relevant section in the book.

It is not intended for use in geotechnical design.

Ian Smith, May 2006

http://sbe.napier.ac.uk/esm