Assessment of Static and Seismic Bearing Capacity Factors of Shallow Strip Foundations Using the Discontinuity Layout Optimization Procedure

This paper presents and analyzes the main results of a series of calculations of the static and seismic bearing capacity factors for shallow strip foundations. The calculations were performed using the Discontinuity Layout Optimization numerical analysis procedure based on the upper bound limit analysis theory on a strip footing embedded in a dry homogeneous soil mass which is subjected to different horizontal seismic coefficients. The results obtained show that the values of the surface, depth, and cohesion static factors are in good agreement with those provided by known benchmark solutions of the bearing capacity calculation for shallow strip foundations. They also highlight the influence of seismic action on the values of these parameters which seem to decrease rapidly as the seismic acceleration increases. They also justify the importance of choosing adequate calculation parameters.