Abstract
Natural clay deposits exhibit nonhomogeneity and anisotropy in shear strength to a considerable degree. In order to take these into account, an analysis is presented herein for the ultimate bearing capacity of strip footings on two-layered purely cohesive soil, wherein the undrained cohesion is anisotropic and varies linearly with depth, in each layer. Values of the bearing capacity factor Nc, are presented for the case of a single layer of clay in which the undrained cohesion decreases linearly with depth in the upper region and thereafter increases linearly with depth, simulating the case of clays subjected to lowering of water table and consequent desiccation.
