Low-cost alternatives to estimate unsaturated soil shear strength parameters

Abstract

The bearing capacity of strip footings on unsaturated soils is studied using slip line theory. The suction profiles considered are non-uniform with depth and correspond to vertical flow of water by infiltration or evaporation. The slip line theory assumes a plastic equilibrium state of a Mohr-Coulomb soil in which suction influences are included using the effective stress concept. This paper shows that the influence of a non-uniform suction profile on bearing capacity is significant. When the contribution of suction to the effective stress can be approximated as a function that varies linearly with depth, the effects of suction on bearing capacity can be represented in dimensionless form in separate charts for smooth and rough footings. Using the charts the bearing capacity can be determined for any combination of friction angle, footing width, surcharge, soil unit weight and linear profiles of cohesion and the contribution of suction to the effective stress.