Allowable bearing pressure for a foundation depends ona)Allowable settlement only.b)Ultimate bearing capacity of soilc)Both allowable settlement and ultimate bearing capacityd)Neither allowable settlement nor ultimate bearing capacityCorrect answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Question

Answer

Understanding Allowable Bearing Pressure
The allowable bearing pressure for a foundation is critical in civil engineering, and it is influenced by both the ultimate bearing capacity of the soil and allowable settlement. Here's a detailed breakdown:
Ultimate Bearing Capacity of Soil
- The ultimate bearing capacity refers to the maximum load per unit area that the soil can support without failure.
- It is determined through soil tests and calculations, considering factors like soil type, depth, and moisture content.
- This value is essential as it establishes the upper limit of what the foundation can safely bear.
Allowable Settlement
- Allowable settlement pertains to the vertical displacement that a foundation can experience without causing structural damage.
- Different structures have varying tolerances for settlement, making it crucial to consider.
- Excessive settlement could lead to structural issues, such as cracking or misalignment.
Interrelationship of Factors
- The allowable bearing pressure is derived from both of these factors.
- While the ultimate bearing capacity provides a safety limit, the allowable settlement ensures that the structure remains functional and intact.
- Engineers must balance these two aspects to design a safe and effective foundation.
Conclusion
In summary, the correct understanding is that the allowable bearing pressure is contingent on both the ultimate bearing capacity of the soil and the allowable settlement. Thus, option 'C' is indeed the right answer. This comprehensive approach helps ensure the safety and stability of structures.

Answer

(i) There are two basic design criteria. One is the bearing capacity criteria or the shear failure criteria another is the settlement criteria. When we design the footing, it should take the load coming from the superstructure without shear cracking.
(ii) At the same time there should not be an excessive amount of settlement in the footing. So the pressure that we can apply on a soil is the minimum pressure on a soil in terms of shear criteria or in terms of the settlement criteria.
(iii) Tension failure, compression failure or bond failure hardly occur in foundation structures and are never a serious concern.
So The correct answer is Both allowable settlement and ultimate bearing capacity

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