Abstract
In this research an attempt is made to derive a general procedure of determining ultimate bearing capacity of a normally consolidated clay foundation as a function of a loading history taking into account a drainage condition during the loading. The analysis procedure is based on the critical state concept with the use of rigid plastic finite element method. The plastic flow at critical state introduced in the analysis is derived from Sekiguchi-Ohta's yield function which evaluates anisotropic deformation-strength characteristics of anisotropically, normally consolidated clays.Strain hardening effect on the magnitude of ultimate bearing capacity is newly analyzed under the conditions of both undrained, instantaneous loading and partially drained, gradual load application, from which the bearing capacity is obtained as being dependent of a loading history.
