Purpose of calculation:

Determine the ultimate bearing capacity if the water table

is well below the foundation level and if the water table is at the surface.
Calculation Reference
Craig Soil Mechanics. R.F. Craig
Calculation Validation
Reproduction of a sample calculation from a published calculation reference.
Calculation Units 2
Footing size
b = 2.25 m
d = 2.25 m
Footing is located at depth
D = 1.5 m
Shear Strength parameter
c'= 0 N/m
Shear Strength parameter

'
= 38
Unit Weight of Sand
= 18000 N/m
Saturated Unit Weight of Sand

sat
= 20000 N/m
Buoyant Unit Weight of Sand

'
= 10200 N/m
N
q1
= #NAME?
## N
q1
= 0 ##
= exp
'
+ 0.0609
10.791

'
+ 0.0609
= if(20>
'
, N
q1
, 0)
b
D
FALSE
N
q2
= #NAME?
## N
q2
= ## ##
TRUE
N
q3
= #NAME?
## N
q3
= 0 ##
FALSE
N

= #NAME? ##
N
q
= #NAME? ##
The Ultimate Bearing Capacity when the water is well below the foundation level
q
f
= #NAME? N/m ##
The Ultimate Bearing Capacity when the water table is at the surface
q
f
= #NAME? N/m ##
= exp
'
+ 0.0609
10.791

'
+ 0.0609
= exp
'
- 4.2812
8.6095

'
- 4.2812 = if(20>
'
>40 , N
q2
, 0)
= exp
'
- 12.919
6.4645

'
- 12.919 = if(
'
>40 , N
q3
, 0)
= exp
'
- 12.899
5.8451

'
- 12.899
= if(
'
<= 20 , N
q1
, if[and{20<
'
,
'
<= 40} , N
q2
, if{
'
>40 , N
q1
, "not valid"}])
= (DN
q
) + (0.4bN

)
= (
'
DN
q
) + (0.4
'
bN

)
Table of compatible units
Length Area Volume Time Angle Mass Velocity Acceleration
Fundamental m m m s kg m/s m/s
SI m m m s kg m/s m/s
SI (mm) mm mm mm s g mm/s mm/s
US Unit (ft) ft ft ft s slug ft/s ft/s
US Unit (in) in in in s lbf.s/in in/s in/s
N

N
q
N
q

1.00 0 1.00 0
1.64 5 1.64 5
2.50 10 2.50 10
1 3.33 13 3.33 13
1.54 4.00 15 4.00 15
3.50 6.50 20 6.50 20 6.50 20
8.00 11.00 25 11.00 25
18.00 18.57 30 18.57 30
40.00 35.00 35 35.00 35
95.00 66.00 40 66.00 40 66.00 40
237.50 142.86 45 142.86 45
650.00 310.00 50 310.00 50
y = 5.8451ln(x) + 12.899
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
y = 10.791ln(x) - 0.0609
y = 8.6095ln(x) + 4.2812
-10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
1
0
1 10 100 1000
-10
1
= if(
'
<= 20 , N
q1
, if[and{20<
'
,
'
<= 40} , N
q2
, if{
'
>40 , N
q1
, "not valid"}])
Force Unit Weight Moment LDForce Work Energy Power Density Stress
kg.m/s N/m N.m kg/s kg.m/s.m kg.m/s.m kg.m/s kg/m kg/m.s
N N/m N.m N/m J J W kg/m N/m
N N/mm N.mm N/mm mJ mJ mW g/mm MPa
lbf lbf/ft lbf.ft lbf/ft ft.lb ft.lb ft.lb/s slug/ft lbf/ft
lbf lbf/in lbf.in lbf/in in.lbf in.lbf in.lbf/s lbf.s/in psi
0.0609
y = 8.6095ln(x) + 4.2812
y = 6.4645ln(x) + 12.919
10 100 1000
Nq
Series2
Series3
Series4
Log.
(Series2)
Log.
(Series3)
10 100 1000