WES Theoretical Manual, Part IX: Bearing Failure of Foundation

This part covers bearing failure of the foundation. The lateral forces on the cell combine with its weight into an eccentric load, and if the foundation cannot carry it, the soil is pushed down and out from under the cell.

The factor of safety is the ultimate bearing capacity divided by the effective bearing pressure. The manual analyzes the cofferdam as a strip footing of effective width b, using the vertical load the foundation can carry and the resultant vertical force acting on it. It refers the reader to the CBEAR computer program and its user's guide for the full theory, and explains how to set up the problem for the special case of a cellular cofferdam, including the combined effect of vertical and lateral forces.

It is an essential check for any cell on soil, and the manual's treatment shows how to adapt standard foundation methods to this unusual structure.