Numerical study on the bearing capacity of strip footing resting on partially saturated soil subjected to combined vertical-horizontal-moment loading

Abstract

This study investigates the bearing capacity of strip footings resting on unsaturated soils subjected to combined loading using the lower-bound limit analysis coupled with the finite element discretization approach. In this regard, second-order cone programming (SOCP) is exploited to simulate the nonlinear form of the universal Mohr-Coulomb yield criterion during the process of stress field optimization. The significant influence of matric suction induced below the surface footing was accounted for by adopting the suction stress concept under the no-flow and steady-state infiltration/evaporation flow conditions. The eccentricity and inclination of the foundation loading are introduced into the equilibrium equations along the strip footing so as to render various combinations of moment (M), vertical (V) and shear (H) forces. The results stemming from the lower-bound finite element limit analysis are compared with several previous studies throughout the literature for verification of the model. The substantial contribution of suction stress to the evolution of failure loci and the distribution of subsurface stresses for the shallow foundation subjected to inclined and eccentric loadings is thoroughly discussed. A general three-dimensional failure envelope is presented for shallow foundations resting on partially saturated soils under combined vertical, horizontal and moment loadings.

Keywords:

• Bearing capacity
• combined loading
• finite element limit analysis (FELA)
• unsaturated soil

Acknowledgments

The work described in this paper was supported, partly, by grants from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China, project no. (CityU 11210419) and project no. (CityU 11214218).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee.