Bearing Capacity of Footing on Layered Soil Under Different Loading Conditions

Building and secure foundations under vertical, eccentric, inclined, and eccentric-inclined loading circumstances requires an understanding of how footings behave on layered soils, which are common in real life. These loadings mimic the conditions in which external forces such as wind, seismic activity, or structural asymmetries might generate unequal stress distributions in footings. These layered soils can differ greatly in stiffness, cohesiveness, and angle of internal friction, all of which directly impact the footing's performance and stability. The bearing capacity of square footings under vertical, eccentric, inclined, and eccentric-inclined loading situations is determined in this study. The footings are situated on a weak clay layer that is covered by stronger, thick sand. Finite element analysis in Plaxis 3D software has been used to analyze the interaction between the footing and the stratified soil under vertical, eccentric, inclined, and eccentric-inclined loading situations. To assess the bearing capacity of square footings laid on layered soil under eccentrically inclined loads, non-dimensional relationships have been developed. The results show that when load eccentricity and inclination increase, footings’ capacity to carry loads drastically decreases, particularly when there is a weaker soil layer underneath the footing.