Material-Efficient Ring Foundations on Sandy Soil: Experimental Evaluation of Bearing Capacity Factors

Jaafar Abdulrazzaq

doi:10.71229/1bmx9n17

Authors

Jaafar Abdulrazzaq Highway and Transportation Department, Engineering College, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.71229/1bmx9n17

Keywords:

Ring footing,, radii ratio,, Sandy soil,, Centrifuge modeling,, Bearing capacity factors

Abstract

Ring footings have become an increasingly recognized option for a more resource-efficient means of building construction than traditional circular footings. Generally, the ground is the principal load-bearing element in building construction. However, there exists only a limited amount of testing to determine how variations in foundation configuration and embedment depth affect the bearing capacity factors Nγ and Nq associated with ring footings in cohesionless soils. Therefore, this research evaluates the bearing capacity factors (Nγ, Nq) for ring footings of varying radii ratios and embedment depths. To investigate this behavior, experimental study are conducted using a centrifuge device system of ring foundations models with varying ring radii ratios n = 0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6. The substantial steel foundations, each with an area of 2200 mm² and a thickness of 50 mm, are situated on and under sandy soil with different relative densities. This study used loose, medium, and dense sand with soil unit weight are 15.2 kN/m³, 16 kN/m³ and 17 kN/m³ respectively. Based on the results obtained, the soil density and ring configuration were found to have a significant influence on the ultimate bearing capacity of ring footings, with the optimal radii ratio producing the best performance being approximately n = 0.4. Ring foundations embedded in the soil exhibit a greater load capacity than foundations placed on the surface. It has been shown that optimally designed ring foundations are capable of producing greater structural performance at a lower material consumptive level. This supports an environmentally sustainable and efficient approach to designing foundations.

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