An attempt to apply the kinematic method of rigid solids in the study of bearing capacity of shallow foundations

In the geotechnical engineering field, shallow foundations are frequently needed to ensure good fieldwork stability. They are also intended to permanently and uniformly transmit all load pressure on the seating floor. However, numerous mechanical constraints, such as bearing capacity of foundations, durability, stability, design of shallow foundations, lead, unfortunately, to a serious realization challenge. Finding an adequate solution presents the main goal and effort of both scholars and professionals. Indeed, the corresponding drawback is observed through the high number of reported damages that occurred in the structure of foundations and the punching failure.

The failure mechanisms of shallow foundations, verified in full size or on scale models, show “sliding surfaces” and rigid (solid) blocks, which can be described with the kinematic method of rigid solids.

The main objective of this study is the application of the kinematic method of rigid solids in the study of the stability of shallow foundations with respect to punching, the purpose of which is to determine the bearing capacity factors Nc, N_γ, and the passive earth pressure coefficient Kp of foundations. In this context, two mechanical models have been proposed with 5 and 7 rigid solids, and a program developed via the MathCAD environment is applied to check the validity of the two previous models. The kinematic method of rigid solids gives results very close and comparable with that of Caquot/Kerisel for the factors of the bearing capacity and passive earth pressure coefficient - the ratio Kp - according to the five- and seven-solid model.