Vesic Bearing Capacity of Shallow Foundation

[nbr1]

When is it appropriate to use Vesic's formula for bearing capacity determination (cohesive, cohesionless, or both) and is it ever appropriate to exclude the phi=0 condition for foundations on clay?

 

[vulcanhammer]

Information on the use of Vesic's formula can be found here:

http://www.vulcanhammer.net/geotechnical/EM_1110-1-1905.pdf

http://www.vulcanhammer.net/geotechnical/FHWA-SA-02-054.pdf

AASHTO, with exceptions, has adopted Vesic's bearing capacity method. It's interesting to note, however, that when the USACOE wrote its program CBEAR, they adopted Meyerhof's method as the more conservative one:

http://www.vulcanhammer.net/geotechnical/CBEAR-I0017.pdf

http://www.pz27.net