• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.153-167
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• 2011

Traditional design methods of bearing capacity of shallow foundations are deterministic in the sense that they do not explicitly consider the inherent uncertainty associated with the factors affecting bearing capacity. To account for such uncertainty, available deterministic methods rather employ a fixed global factor of safety that may lead to inappropriate bearing capacity predictions. An alternative stochastic approach is essential to provide a more rational estimation of bearing capacity. In this paper, the likely distribution of predicted bearing capacity of strip footings subjected to vertical loads is obtained using a stochastic approach based on the Monte Carlo simulation. The approach accounts for the uncertainty associated with the soil shear strength parameters: cohesion, c, and friction angle, ${\phi}$, and the cross correlation between c and ${\phi}$. A set of stochastic design charts that assure target reliability levels of 90% and 95%, are developed for routine use by practitioners. The charts negate the need for a factor of safety and provide a more reliable indication of what the actual bearing capacity might be.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.123-138
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• 2022

Present study computes the ultimate bearing capacity of an embedded strip footing situated on the rock slope subjected to seismic loading. Influences of embedment depth of strip footing, horizontal seismic acceleration coefficient, rock slope angle, Geological Strength Index, normalized uniaxial compressive strength of rock mass, disturbance factor, and Hoek-Brown material constant are studied in detail. To perform the analysis, the lower bound finite element limit analysis method in combination with the semidefinite programming is utilized. From the results of the present study, it can be found that the magnitude of the bearing capacity factor reduces quite substantially with an increment in the seismic loading. In addition, with the increment in slope angle, further reduction in the value of the bearing capacity factor is observed. On the other hand, with an increment in the embedment depth, an increment in the value of the bearing capacity factor is found. Stress contours are presented to describe the combined failure mechanism of the footing-rock slope system in the presence of static as well as seismic loadings for the different embedment depths.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.11-21
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• 2020

The traditional formulations for estimation of bearing capacity in rock mechanics assume a homogeneous and isotropic rock mass. However, it is common that the rock mass consists of different layers of different rock properties or of the same rock matrix with distinct geotechnical quality levels. The bearing capacity of a heterogeneous rock is estimated traditionally through the weighted average. In this paper, the solution of the weighted average is compared to the finite difference method applied to a bilayer rock mass. The influence of different parameters such as the thickness of the layers, the rock type, the uniaxial compressive strength and the overall geotechnical quality of the rock mass on the bearing capacity of a bilayer rock mass is analyzed. A parametric study by finite difference method is carried out to develop a bearing capacity factor in function of the layer thickness and the rock mass quality expressed in terms of the geological strength index, which is presented in a form of a chart. Therefore, this correlation factor allows estimating the bearing capacity of a rock mass that is formed by two layers with distinct GSI, depending on the bearing capacity of the rock mass formed only by the upper layer and considered by that way as homogenous and isotropic rock mass.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.443-455
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• 2023

This is a research analyses on the bearing capacity at a pile tip embedded in rock. The aim is to propose a shape coefficient for an analytical solution and to investigate the influence of the plastic flow law on the problem. For this purpose, the finite difference method is used to analyze the bearing capacity of various types and states of rock masses, assuming the Hoek & Brown failure criterion, by considering both plane strain and an axisymmetric model. Different geometrical configurations were adopted for this analysis. First, the axisymmetric numerical results were compared with those obtained from the plane strain analytical solution. Then the pile shape influence on the bearing capacity was studied. A shape factor is now proposed. Furthermore, an evaluation was done on the influence of the plastic flow law on the pile tip bearing capacity. Associative flow and non-associative flow with null dilatancy were considered, resulting in a proposed correlation. A total of 324 cases were simulated, performing a sensitivity analysis on the results and using the graphic output of vertical displacement and maximum principal stress to understand how the failure mechanism occurs in the numerical model.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.17-24
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to understand the characteristics of bearing capacity of shallow foundation on the grounds. We made a comparative study of existing bearing capacity theory, based on the three-dimensional finite element analysis with a variety of conditions such as ground condition, foundation scale and foundation shape. In the finite element analysis, the ultimate bearing capacity showed a gradual convergence in the form of exponential function or logarithm function according to the foundation scale. Although the shear strength increased, the bearing capacity tended not to increase but change linearly. In the results of comparative study of existing bearing capacity theory, bearing capacity ratio ($q_{u(FEA)}/q_{u(theory)}$) of pure sand has the outcome closest to those of the Terzaghi method. Pure clay turned out to be about 0.4~0.6 while normal soil was changed in a range of 0.3~1.3. As shear strength is increased, the results turned out to be less than 1.0. Bearing capacity ratio ($q_u/q_{u(1.0)}$), normalized at 1.0m bearing capacity, was about 35%, 15% and 5% of theoretical formula under the condition of ${\phi}=25^{\circ}$, $30^{\circ}$ and $35^{\circ}$ of pure sand; no scale effect was found with pure clay and the normal soil with lower soil strength level showed less than 10% of the theoretical formula of pure sand. Bearing capacity ratio of each case, in accordance with, the shear strength increase, was largely influenced by the internal friction angle. Shape factor of bearing capacity ratios classified by foundation shapes have different results according to the shapes; the shape factor of circular foundation is 1.50, square foundation is 1.30, rectangular and continuous foundations are 1.1~1.0.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.49-63
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• 2014

Bearing capacity factor $N_{\gamma}$ and shape factor were studied for rigid strip and circular footings with a rough base on sand by numerical modelling considering the effect of dilation angle. The numerical model was developed with an explicit finite difference code. Loading procedures and interpretation methods were devised in order to shorten the running time while eliminating the exaggeration of the reaction caused by the explicit scheme. Using the Mohr-Coulomb plasticity model with associated (${\psi}={\phi}$) and nonassociated (${\psi}$ < ${\phi}$) flow-rules, the bearing capacity factor $N_{\gamma}$ was evaluated for various combinations of internal friction angles and dilation angles. Bearing capacity factor decreased as the dilation angle was reduced from the associated condition. An equation applicable to typical sands was proposed to evaluate the relative bearing capacity for the nonassociated condition compared to the associated condition on which most bearing capacity factor equations are based. The shape factor for the circular footing varied substantially when the plane-strain effect was taken into account for the strip footing. The numerical results of this study showed closer trends with the previous experimental results when the internal friction angle was increased for the strip footing. Discussions are made on the reason that previous equations for the shape factor give different results and recommendations are made for the appropriate design shape factor.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.81-88
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• 2003

Recently, pile foundations were constructed in rough or soft ground than ground of well condition thus it is important that prediction of ultimate bearing capacity and calculation of proper safety factor applied pile foundation design. This study were performed to dynamic loading tests for the thirty two piles at four different construction sites and selected pile at three site were performed to static loading tests and then compare with measured value and value of static and dynamic loading tests. The load-settlement curve form the dynamic loading tests by CAPWAP was very similar to the results obtained from the static load tests. Based on dynamic and static loading tests, the reliability of pile-driving formula were analyzed and then suggested with proper safety factor for prediction of allowable bearing capacity in this paper.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.315-328
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• 2019

This paper presents an investigation on bearing capacity, load-settlement behavior and safety factor of rock-soil slopes reinforced using geogrid-box method (GBM). To this end, small-scale laboratory studies were carried out to study the load-settlement response of a circular footing resting on unreinforced and reinforced rock-soil slopes. Several parameters including unit weight of rock-soil materials (loose- and dense-packing modes), slope height, location of footing relative to the slope crest, and geogrid tensile strength were studied. A series of finite element analysis were conducted using ABAQUS software to predict the bearing capacity behavior of slopes. Limit equilibrium and finite element analysis were also performed using commercially available software SLIDE and ABAQUS, respectively to calculate the safety factor. It was found that stabilization of rock-soil slopes using GBM significantly improves the bearing capacity and settlement behavior of slopes. It was established that, the displacement contours in the dense-packing mode distribute in a broader and deeper area as compared with the loose-packing mode, which results in higher ultimate bearing load. Moreover, it was found that in the loose-packing mode an increase in the vertical pressure load is accompanied with an increase in the soil settlement, while in the dense-packing mode the load-settlement curves show a pronounced peak. Comparison of bearing capacity ratios for the dense- and loose-packing modes demonstrated that the maximum benefit of GBM is achieved for rock-soil slopes in loose-packing mode. It was also found that by increasing the slope height, both the initial stiffness and the bearing load decreases. The results indicated a significant increase in the ultimate bearing load as the distance of the footing to the slope crest increases. For all the cases, a good agreement between the laboratory and numerical results was observed.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.487-496
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• 2022

Most of the pile's vertical static load tests in construction sites are the proof load tests, which is difficult to accurately estimate the ultimate bearing capacity and analyze the reliability of piles. Therefore, a reliability analysis method based on the proof load-settlement (Q-s) data is proposed in this study. In this proposed method, a simple ultimate limit state function based on the hyperbolic model is established, where the random variables of reliability analysis include the model factor of the ultimate bearing capacity and the fitting parameters of the hyperbolic model. The model factor M = R_uR / R_uP is calculated based on the available destructive Q-s data, where the real value of the ultimate bearing capacity (R_uR) is obtained by the complete destructive Q-s data; the predicted value of the ultimate bearing capacity (R_uP) is obtained by the proof Q-s data, a part of the available destructive Q-s data, that before the predetermined load determined by the pile test report. The results demonstrate that the proposed method can easy and effectively perform the reliability analysis based on the proof Q-s data.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.33-41
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• 2015

The vertical bearing capacity of a bucket foundation installed in sand can be calculated as sum of the skin friction and end bearing capacity. However, the current design equations are not considering the non-associated flow characteristics of sand and the reduction in the skin friction and increase in the end bearing capacity when the vertical load is applied. In this study, we perform two-dimensional axisymmetric finite element analyses following non-associated flow rule and calculate the vertical bearing capacity of circular bucket foundation of various sizes installed in sand of different friction angles. After calculating the skin friction and end bearing force at the ultimate state, design equations are derived for each. The skin friction of bucket foundation is shown significantly small compared to the end bearing capacity. Considering the difference with the available design equation for piles, it is recommended that the equation for piles is used for the bucket foundation. A new shape-depth factor ($s_q{\cdot}d_q$) for bucket foundation is recommended which also accounts for the increment of the end bearing capacity due to skin friction. Additionally, the shape and depth factor of embedded foundation proposed from the associated flow rule can overestimate the bearing capacity in sand, so it is more adequate to use the shape-depth factor proposed in this study.