Bearing Capacity of Strip Footings Near Slopes Using Upper Bound Limit Analysis

Stability of foundations near slopes is one of the important and complicated problems in geotechnical engineering which has been investigated by various methods such as limit equilibrium, limit analysis, slip-line, finite element and discrete element. Current paper describes an upper bound solution for estimation of bearing capacity of strip footings near slopes. The solution is based on finite element formulation and linear programming technique which leads to a collapse load throughout a kinematically admissible velocity field. Three-noded triangular finite elements are used for meshing the domain of the problem and velocity discontinuities occur at common edges of adjacent elements. Mohr-Coulomb yield function and associated flow rule is adopted for the soil behavior. In this paper, the average limit pressure of strip footings which are adjacent to slopes is considered as a function of dimensionless parameters affecting the stability of footing-on-slope system. These parameters, particularly the friction angle of the soil, have been investigated separately and relevant charts have been presented consequently.