BEARING CAPACITY OF CLAYS

Abstract

An attempt has been made to determine the bearing capacity factor (NC) for four different clays which were anisotropically consolidated at various preconsolidation press-ures and overconsolidation ratios. Test results have also boon compared with that on compacted clay. The strain controlled small model tests were conducted on Dhanori clay, commercial bentonote, mixture of bentonite and sand and Kuttanad clay. Unconfined compression tests and vane shear tests wore. carried out on all the soil samples to obtain apparent cohesion (c and cr1). Total stress parameters have also been evaluated from unconsolidated and undrained triaxial tests on compacted soil. Apparent angle of internal friction was found to be less than 7° because of compaction on wet side of optimum and so neglected in computation of Nc factor. The ratio of c and cn 0.62, was found to vary from 41-p-§49 to 0.78 in anisotropically consoli-dated clays and 0.72 to 0.98 in compacted clay. This was in accordance with the observations of Coughnour and Sallberg (1964), and Wilson (1963). The question arose as to which strength should be used in the calculation of Nc. Author believed that vane shear test is more appropriate.