Upper-bound solution for seismic bearing capacity of shallow foundations near slopes

Abstract

An upper-bound technique of limit analysis is used to determine the bearing capacity of a shallow strip foundation near a slope. The approach used is pseudo-static, and the seismic forces consist of a horizontal load applied to the foundation and the inertia of the soil mass. The failure mechanism is composed of an active wedge, a passive wedge, and a shear transition zone between the two wedges. The results are compared with those of other investigators.