EngineeringToolkit

Soil Bearing Capacity Formula

The maximum pressure that soil can support without failure.

Formula

qult = c·Nc + q·Nq + 0.5·γ·B·Nγ

Discipline: Civil Engineering. Result unit: Pa.

Variables and units

  • qult — Ultimate Bearing Capacity (Pa): Ultimate bearing capacity
  • c — Cohesion (Pa): Soil cohesion
  • Nc — Bearing Capacity Factor for Cohesion: Bearing capacity factor for cohesion
  • q — Surcharge Pressure (Pa): Surcharge pressure
  • Nq — Bearing Capacity Factor for Surcharge: Bearing capacity factor for surcharge
  • γ — Soil Unit Weight (N/m³): Unit weight of soil
  • B — Foundation Width (m): Width of foundation
  • — Bearing Capacity Factor for Weight: Bearing capacity factor for weight