The capacity of soil to support the loads applied to the ground.
The bearing capacity of soil is the maximum average contact pressure between the foundation and the soil which should not produce shear failure in the soil. The stability of the foundation depends on The bearing capacity of soil and The settlement of soil beneath the foundation. Soil behaves in a complex manner when loaded, so it is important to know about its bearing capacity.
These are the following methods that can be used to improve the bearing capacity of the soil.
1. Increasing The Foundation Depth
Increasing the depth of the foundation is the simplest method for improving the bearing capacity of the soil. Because the soil has a high pressure at the deeper depth. Hence it will be more compact.
2. Draining The Subsoil
Drainage is another well-known method that improves the bearing capacity of the soil. In this process drains are placed near the footing base, then the subsoil water is collected and drained out by a pipe.
3. Blending Granular Materials
In this method, a certain amount of granular materials such as sand, gravel, crushed stone, etc are blended into the weak soil by ramming. Hence the poor soil becomes much stronger and bearing capacity is improved.
4. Confining The Soil
The soil is confined in a bounded area with the help of sheet piles. This method is suitable for sandy soils.
5. Driving Sand Piles
This method is also helpful to improve the bearing capacity of soft soil by reducing the void volume. Here wooden piles are used to make holes in the weak soils and then sand is filled into the holes by ramming.
6. Vibration
Heavy vibratory rollers and compactors may compact a layer of granular soils to a depth of 1 to 3 m. Use an appropriate roller as per the soil type to move at a specified speed.
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