Earthwork
Bearing Capacity
The maximum load per unit area that a soil can support without shear failure or excessive settlement.
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In the Field
Bearing capacity comes from geotechnical borings and lab testing. Footings are sized to keep contact pressure below the allowable bearing capacity. If you hit unexpected soft material in the footing excavation, stop and call the engineer.
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Rule of Thumb
Allowable bearing capacity varies widely: soft clay may be 1,000–2,000 psf; dense gravel and sand 4,000–8,000 psf; competent rock can exceed 50,000 psf.