A Simplified Numerical Approach to Predict Bearing Capacity of Soil for Shallow Foundation

Abstract For the safe and economical design of a foundation under any civil engineering structure, precise estimation of the ultimate bearing capacity (UCB) of soil beneath the foundation is of significant concern. Numerous researchers have contributed to these field and proposed theories and equations to predict the subsoil’s ultimate bearing capacity. But determining the approximate value of bearing capacity depends on soil type and its characteristics, groundwater table, types of loads, loaded area of footing, depth of footing, etc. Moreover, deciding the appropriate depth and size of footing is a crucial task. This paper aims to propose a simplified numerical approach to predict the bearing capacity of soil beneath the foundation (NABBSF) using MATLAB software. Considering shear failure and excessive settlement criteria, this model will predict the ultimate, safe, and allowable soil bearing capacity beneath an isolated footing at different depths. The validity and accuracy of the proposed model is verified by comparing it with real field data.