Influence of the groundwater level on the bearing capacity of shallow foundations on the rock mass

Abstract

AbstractThe presence of the groundwater level (GWL) at the rock mass may significantly affect the mechanical behavior, and consequently the bearing capacity. The water particularly modifies two aspects that influence the bearing capacity: the submerged unit weight and the overall geotechnical quality of the rock mass, because water circulation tends to clean and open the joints. This paper is a study of the influence groundwater level has on the ultimate bearing capacity of shallow foundations on the rock mass. The calculations were developed using the finite difference method. The numerical results included three possible locations of groundwater level: at the foundation level, at a depth equal to a quarter of the footing width from the foundation level, and inexistent location. The analysis was based on a sensitivity study with four parameters: foundation width, rock mass type (mi), uniaxial compressive strength, and geological strength index. Included in the analysis was the influence of the self-weight of the material on the bearing capacity and the critical depth where the GWL no longer affected the bearing capacity. Finally, a simple approximation of the solution estimated in this study is suggested for practical purposes.