Vertical bearing capacity for ring footings

This paper utilizes a finite difference code FLAC to study bearing capacity factor Nγ for ring footings in cohesionless, frictional and ponderable soil. The present soil model employs Mohr–Coulomb yield criterion and associative flow rule. The value of Nγ is found to decrease significantly with an increase in ri/ro, which is the ratio of internal radius to external radius of the ring. The value of Nγ for a rough ring footing, especially for lager values of φ, is obviously higher than that for a smooth footing. The results are compared with those available in the literature.