MANILA: Room 206, JPD Building, CM Recto Avenue, Manila

CEBU: 4/F J. Martinez Bldg., Osmeña Blvd., Cebu City

Telephone Number: (02) 516 7559 (Manila) E-Mail: buksmarquez1 @yahoo.com
(032) 254-9967 (Cebu)

Review MODULE – Slope Stability, Pile Capacity & Terzaghi’s Bearing Capacity
I. SLOPE STABILITY SITUATION 1. An infinite slope has the following shear strength parameters
at the interface of soil and rock: 𝜙 = 26°, c = 21 kPa. The moist density
A. INFINITE SLOPES of the soil is 1950 kg/m3.
NORMAL AND SHEARING STRESSES: 1. If H=5 m and 𝛽=18°, compute the value of the normal and shear stresses
𝜎 = 𝛾𝐻𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 𝛽 at the interface.
𝜏 = 𝛾𝐻𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛽𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛽 2. If H=5 m and 𝛽=18°, find the factor of safety against sliding.
𝑐+𝜎𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜙 tan 𝜙 𝑐 3. If β=34°, determine the critical height.
𝐹𝑆 = = =
𝑐𝑑 + 𝜎𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜙𝑑 tan 𝜙𝑑 𝑐𝑑 4. If the height at critical equilibrium is 6.5 m, determine the minimum angle
𝛽 so that the slope is stable.
FACTOR OF SAFETY AGAINST SLIDING:
No pore water pressure / No seepage on soil: SITUATION 2. An infinite slope of granular soil has slope of 23°. The
𝑐 tan 𝜙 effective unit weight of the sand is 11.69 kN/m3 and the angle of friction
𝐹𝑆 = 2
+ is 35°. Consider the depth of the sand to be 5 m, determine the following:
𝛾𝐻𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝛽𝑡𝑎𝑛𝛽 tan 𝛽

5. The factor of safety against sliding if there is no seepage.

6. The factor of safety against sliding when subjected to partial seepage
parallel to the slope with water at a vertical depth of 3 m above the
interface.
7. Factor of safety when the groundwater table coincides with the ground
𝑐 surface.
𝐻𝑐𝑟 =
𝛾𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 𝛽(𝑡𝑎𝑛𝛽 − tan 𝜙)
SITUATION 3. A cut slope was excavated in a clay as shown. The slope
Seepage is present on the soil: makes an angle of 50° with the horizontal. AC represents the failure plane.
𝑐 (𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑡 − 𝛾𝑤 )tan 𝜙 Given that length BC = 9.92 m, H = 7.6 m 𝛾 = 18 kN/m3, 𝜙 = 25° and the
𝐹𝑆 = 2
+ unconfined compressive strength of the clay is 38.2 kPa.
𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑡 𝐻𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝛽𝑡𝑎𝑛𝛽 𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑡 tan 𝛽

Where:
FS = Factor of Safety Against Sliding
c = Cohesion of soil
γ = Unit weight of soil
γsat = Saturated Unit weight of soil
H = Height of soil above the interface of rock and soil
𝜷= Angle of backfill from the horizontal
Φ = Angle of friction
8. Determine the angle of failure plane
B. FINITE SLOPES
9. Determine the cohesive strength along the failure plane in kN
𝐹𝑓 + 𝐹𝑐 10. Determine the frictional strength along the failure plane in kN
𝐹𝑆 = 11. Determine the sliding force along the failure plane in kN
𝑊𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜙
12. Determine the Factor of Safety against sliding
4𝑐𝑑 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛽𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜙𝑑
𝐻= ( )
𝛾 1 − cos(𝛽 − 𝜙𝑑 )
SITUATION 4. A cut is to be made in a soil that has 𝛾 = 17 kN/m3, c =
𝑚=
𝑐𝑑
= 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 40 kPa and 𝜙 = 15°. The slope makes an angle of 30° with the
𝛾𝐻 horizontal.
1
= 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝐹𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 13. What depth of the cut slope will have a factor of safety of 3.0?
𝑚
14. Find the value of the critical angle along which the maximum developed
cohesion occurs.
15. Find the stability number
 MANILA: Room 206, JPD Building, CM Recto Avenue, Manila
CEBU: 4/F J. Martinez Bldg., Osmeña Blvd., Cebu City
Telephone Number: (02) 516 7559 (Manila) E-Mail: buksmarquez1 @yahoo.com
(032) 254-9967 (Cebu)
Review MODULE – Slope Stability, Pile Capacity & Terzaghi’s Bearing Capacity

II. TERZAGHI’S BEARING CAPACITY

Ultimate Bearing Capacity – General Shear Failure

Square Footing:
𝑄𝑢𝑙𝑡 = 1.3𝑐𝑁𝑐 + 𝑞𝑁𝑞 + 0.4𝛾𝐵𝑁𝛾

Circular Footing:
𝑄𝑢𝑙𝑡 = 1.3𝑐𝑁𝑐 + 𝑞𝑁𝑞 + 0.3𝛾𝐵𝑁𝛾

Strip Footing:
𝑄𝑢𝑙𝑡 = 𝑐𝑁𝑐 + 𝑞𝑁𝑞 + 0.5𝛾𝐵𝑁𝛾

Rectangular Footing:
0.3𝐵 0.2𝐵
𝑄𝑢𝑙𝑡 = 𝑐𝑁𝑐 (1 + ) + 𝑞𝑁𝑞 + 0.5𝛾𝐵𝑁𝛾 (1 − )
𝐿 𝐿

Ultimate Bearing Capacity – Local Shear Failure

2
𝑐′ = 𝑐
3
2
𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜙 ′ = 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜙
3

Bearing Capacity Factors (if no table or chart is given)

𝑒 (1.5𝜋−𝜙)𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜙
𝑁𝑞 = 𝜙
2 cos 2 (45 + )
2
𝑁𝑐 = (𝑁𝑞 − 1)𝑐𝑜𝑡𝜙
𝑁𝛾 = 1.1(𝑁𝑞 − 1) tan(1.3𝜙)
SITUATION 1. A square footing has a dimension of 1.50 m has its bottom
1.2 m below the ground surface. Determine the Ultimate Bearing
Modification of Bearing Capacity Equation due to the presence of Capacity of the foundation if: γ = 18.11 kN/m3, c = 15.75 kPa, γSAT = 19.28
Ground Water Table kN/m3 and the water table is: (Nc = 7.34, Nq = 1.64, Ny = 0.14)

1. 1.5 m below the ground surface.

2. at the bottom of the footing.
3. 0.5 m below the ground surface.
SITUATION 2. A footing 1.5m square carries a total load 1500kN. The
base of the footing is at a depth of 1.0 m below the ground surface. The
soil has a unit weight of 17 kN/m3 and cohesion of 50 kPa. The soil
investigation shows that the angle of friction is 18 degrees.

4. Determine the gross foundation pressure.

5. Determine the net foundation pressure.
6. Determine the factor of safety (both gross and net)

SITUATION 3. A circular footing carries an allowable axial load of

1200kN with its bottom resting on a ground water table at a depth of 2 m
below the ground surface. (Nc = 35, Nq = 22, Ny = 19). Take Y DRY =
18.10 kN/m3 and YSAT = 19.50 kN/m3, c = 15.74 kPa.

7. Determine the dimension of the footing using a factor of safety of 2.5.

8. Determine the ultimate bearing capacity of the soil.
9. Determine the net allowable capacity of the footing.
SITUATION 4. For a certain soil, the cohesion is 50 kPa; the unit weight
is 19.2 kN/m3. Assuming local shear failure: (Nc = 7.5, Nq = 1.80, Ny =
0.48) for local shear failure (Nc = 9, Nq = 2.50, Ny = 1.20) for general
shear failure
10. Calculate the net ultimate bearing capacity for a strip footing of width
1.25 m and depth of 4.5 m
11. Calculate the safe bearing capacity on a footing 6 m long and 1.25 m
𝑞𝑢
wide and a factor of safety of 2.5. Use 𝑞𝑠 = 𝑛𝑒𝑡 + 𝛾𝐷𝑓 and consider
𝐹.𝑆.
general shear failure.
12. Calculate the safe load that the rectangular footing could carry.
 MANILA: Room 206, JPD Building, CM Recto Avenue, Manila
CEBU: 4/F J. Martinez Bldg., Osmeña Blvd., Cebu City
Telephone Number: (02) 516 7559 (Manila) E-Mail: buksmarquez1 @yahoo.com
(032) 254-9967 (Cebu)

Pile Capacity (Static Pile Analysis) Skin friction resistance of pile on clay (β method)
𝑸𝒔𝒇 = 𝜷. 𝑳. 𝝈′𝒎 . 𝒑
Ultimate Bearing Load of Pile
𝑸𝒖𝒑 = 𝑸𝒆𝒃 + 𝑸𝒔𝒇 Where 𝜷 = skin factor
For normally consolidated clay (1- sin∅𝑹 ) tan ∅𝑹
Allowable Bearing Capacity of Pile For over consolidated clay (1- sin∅𝑹 ) tan ∅𝑹 √𝑶𝑪𝑹
𝑸𝒖𝒑 𝑳 = length of pile
𝑸𝑨𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 =
𝑭. 𝑺. 𝝈′𝒎 = average vertical eff. Pressure at mid-height of pile
in a layer
Where 𝑸𝒖𝒑 = ultimate bearing load of the pile, 𝒑 = perimeter of the pile section
𝑸𝒆𝒃 = end-bearing resistance of the pile
𝑸𝒔𝒇 = skin-friction resistance of the pile.
Skin friction resistance of pile on clay (λ method)
PILES on SAND 𝑸𝒔𝒇 = 𝝀. 𝑳. (𝝈′𝒎 + 𝟐𝒄). 𝒑
End-Bearing resistance of pile on sand
𝑸𝒆𝒃 = 𝝈′ . 𝑨𝒑 . 𝑵𝒒 Where 𝝀 = effective frictional factor
𝑳 = length of pile
Where 𝝈′𝒎 = average vertical eff. Pressure at mid-height of pile
𝝈′ = effective vertical stress at the pile tip in a layer
𝑨𝒑 = area of pile tip 𝒑 = perimeter of the pile section
𝑵𝒒 = bearing capacity factor 𝒄 = cohesion
NOTE: NSCP-2010 Section 306 Provisions
Skin friction resistance of pile on sand
𝑸𝒔𝒇 = 𝝁. 𝒑. 𝑨𝒑−𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒈 . 𝒌 The allowable axial and lateral loads on pile shall be determined by an approved
formula, by a foundation investigation or by load tests. Static axial compressive
Where 𝝁 = coeff. of friction b/w pile and sand pile load test shall be in accordance with ASTM Standard D-1143, and lateral
𝒑 = perimeter of the pile section
𝑨𝒑−𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒈 = area of pressure diagram load testing of piles shall conform to ASTM Standard D-3966. Dynamic pile tests
𝒌 = coeff. of lateral pressure b/w pile and sand shall be in accordance with ASTM Standard D-4945. Static axial load testing to
determine the uplift capacity of pile-soil systems shall be in accordance with
ASTM Standard D-3689.

SITUATION 1. A 0.30m x 0.30m square pile having 15 m length is

embedded in a layer of dense sand. The soil has the following properties:
Dry unit weight is 18.5 kN/𝑚3 and saturated unit weight is 22.5 kN/𝑚3 .
Water table is located at 4 m depth from the ground surface. Nq = 80,
k = 1.33, μ = 0.2 and F.S = 2.5.

1. Compute the point bearing capacity of pile

2. Compute the frictional capacity of pile
3. Compute the allowable capacity of the pile
Note: The pressure diagram is dependent on the critical depth
(𝑫𝒄 ) SITUATION 2. A 0.30-m diameter precast concrete pile is to be driven in
(𝑫𝒄 ) = 20 ∅𝒑𝒊𝒍𝒆 – Dense Sand a clayey soil profile with the following properties.
(𝑫𝒄 ) = 10 ∅𝒑𝒊𝒍𝒆 – Loose Sand
0.30m Soil Properties:
PILES on CLAY Layer 1
𝛾𝐶𝐿𝐴𝑌 = 16kN/𝑚3
End-Bearing resistance of pile on clay 𝑐𝑢 = 87 kN/𝑚2
𝑸𝒆𝒃 = 𝒄. 𝑨𝒑 . 𝑵𝒄 𝛼 = 0.65
𝜑 = 22º
λ = 0.15
Where 𝒄 = cohesion
𝑨𝒑 = area of pile tip
Layer 2
𝑵𝒄 = bearing capacity factor (if no value given use 9) 𝛾𝑆𝐴𝑇 = 19.7 kN/𝑚3
𝑐𝑢 =160 kN/𝑚2
Skin friction resistance of pile on clay (α method) 𝛼 = 0.40
𝑸𝒔𝒇 = 𝒄. 𝑳 . 𝛂 . 𝒑 𝜑 = 22º
λ = 0.14

Where 𝒄 = cohesion
𝑳 = length of pile 1. Compute the point bearing capacity of pile
𝜶 = adhesion factor or frictional constant 2. Compute the frictional capacity of pile using α, β, λ
𝒑 = perimeter of the pile section 3. Compute the design capacity of the pile (FS = 3.5)