Bearing Capacity of Soils

Engineer Manual EM 1110-1-1905
30 October 1992

This manual presents guidelines for calculation of the bearing capacity of soil under shallow and deep foundations supporting various types of structures and embankments. This information is generally applicable to foundation investigation and design conducted by Corps of Engineer agencies.

Principles for evaluating bearing capacity presented in this manual are applicable to numerous types of structures such as buildings and houses, towers and storage tanks, fills, embankments and dams. These guidelines may be helpful in determining soils that will lead to bearing capacity failure or excessive settlements for given foundations and loads.

Bearing capacity is the ability of soil to safely carry the pressure placed on the soil from any engineered structure without undergoing a shear failure with accompanying large settlements. Applying a bearing pressure which is safe with respect to failure does not ensure that settlement of the foundation will be within acceptable limits. Therefore, settlement analysis should generally be performed since most structures are sensitive to excessive settlement.

Dewatering and Groundwater Control

U.S. Army TM 5-815-5
November 1983

This manual provides guidance for the planning, design, supervision, construction, and operation of dewatering and pressure relief systems and of seepage cutoffs for deep excavations for structures. It presents: description of various methods of dewatering and pressure reliefi techniques for determining groundwater conditions, characteristics of pervious aquifers, and dewatering requirements; guidance for specifying requirements for dewatering and seepage control measures; guidance for determining the adequacy of designs and plans prepared by contractors; procedures for designing, installing, operating, and checking the performance of dewatering systems for various types of excavations; and descriptions and design of various types of cutoffs for controlling groundwater.

Earthmoving Operations

U.S. Army FM 5-434
15 June 2000

This field manual (FM) is a guide for engineer personnel responsible for planning, designing, and constructing earthworks in the theater of operations. It gives estimated production rates, characteristics, operation techniques, and soil considerations for earthmoving equipment. This guide should be used to help select the most economical and effective equipment for each individual operation.

This manual discusses the complete process of estimating equipment production rates. However, users of this manual are encouraged to use their experience and data from other projects in estimating production rates. The material in this manual applies to all construction equipment regardless of make or model. The equipment used in this manual are examples only. Information for production calculations should be obtained from the operator and maintenance manuals for the make and model of the equipment being used.

Large-Scale Load Tests and Data Base of Spread Footings on Sand

FHWA-RD-97-068
November 1997

Spread footings are most often less expensive than deep foundations. In an effort to improve the reliability of spread footings, this research project was undertaken. The results consist of

1. A user friendly microcomputer data base of spread footings, case histories and load tests.
2. The performance of five large scale square footings in sand.
3. An evaluation of the current accuracy of settlement and bearing capacity prediction methods.
4. Observations on the scale effect, the zone of influence, the creep settlement, and soil heterogeneity.
5. A new and simple method to predict the complete load settlement curve for a footing as well as several correlations.
6. Evaluation of the WAR test, a dynamic test for spread footings.

Shallow Foundations

FHWA-SA-02-054
September 2002

This document is FHWA’s primary reference of recommended design and procurement procedures for shallow foundations. The Circular presents state-of-the-practice guidance on the design of shallow foundation support of highway bridges. The information is intended to be practical in nature, and to especially encourage the cost-effective use of shallow foundations bearing on structural fills. To the greatest extent possible, the document coalesces the research, development and application of shallow foundation support for transportation structures over the last several decades.

Detailed design examples are provided for shallow foundations in several bridge support applications according to both Service Load Design (Appendix B) and Load and Resistance Factor Design (Appendix C) methodologies. Guidance is also provided for shallow foundation applications for minor structures and buildings associated with transportation projects.

Slope Stability

Engineer Manual EM 1110-2-1902
31 October 2003

This engineer manual provides guidlance for analysing the static stability of slopes of earth and rock-fill dams, slopes of other types of embankments, evacuated slopes, and natural slopes in soil and soft rock. Methods for analysis of slope stability are described and are illustraed by examples in the appendices. Criteria are presented for strength tets, analysis conditions, and factors of safety. The criteria in this manual are to be used with methods of stability analysis that satisfy all conditions of equilibrium. Methods that do not satify all conditions of equilibrium may involve significant inaccuracies and should only be used under the restricted conditions described herein.