Experimental Study of Load Bearing Capacity of Foundations with Different Vertical Cross-Sectional Shapes

Abstract

Results of experimental study of load bearing capacity and settlement of foundations with different vertical cross-sectional shapes are presented. Load-settlement relationships of three models of shallow foundations with different vertical cross-sectional shapes on three different modeled subsoil conditions were studied. Models of shallow foundations with rectangular, wedge and T shape vertical cross-sections were studied. The study shows that bulk of the load resistance of subsoil bases of shallow foundations with rectangular vertical cross-sectional shapes is mostly offered by the soil beneath the foundation base, while for those with wedge and T-shape vertical cross-sectional shape, both soils beneath the foundations bases and along their vertical stems, actively offers resistance to structural loads. This indicates that using foundations with wedge and T shape vertical cross-sections can help in the distribution of structural loads to less dipper soil strata, especially when stronger soil layers is underlain by weaker ones.