Comparison of the bearing capacity of an unsaturated soil obtained from the experiments, a semi-empirical model, and numerical simulations

抄録

Bearing capacity of unsaturated soils can be interpreted extending either the modified effective stress approach (MESA) or the modified total stress approach (MTSA) depending on the type of soils and drainage conditions of pore-air and pore-water. However, the bearing capacity of unsaturated soils are typically estimated extending the MESA, rather than MTSA. In this study, an attempt was made to validate the MTSA by comparing the measured bearing capacity values from a series of model footing tests in an unsaturated cohesive soil with those estimated using a semi-empirical model and finite element analysis extending the MTSA. The commercial finite element software, SIGMA/W was used to numerically determine the bearing capacity values based on the vertical stress versus surface settlement behaviors of a model footing.