Numerical study of the bearing behaviour of circular footings penetrating into sand

The capacity of a shallow foundation under vertical load is typically predicted using the classical bearing capacity equation, which is sensitive to the friction angle assumed. The appropriate friction angle, however, is uncertain. A footing penetrating into sand, as is the case in installations of mobile jack-up drilling rigs, for instance, represents continuous bearing failure. The load-penetration curve is required to be predicted accurately, rather than conservatively, as the achieved embedment has implications on footing stiffness, the risk of scour etc. The numerical study presented here aims to improve current understanding of the bearing behaviour of conical and fl at circular footings penetrating into silica soil. A predictive framework, applicable to a range of relative sand densities and footing shapes, is under development.