Bearing capacity determines how much weight soil can support, affecting the choice of foundation and overall limitations of a structure. Geotechnical engineers can provide assessments, and soil tests may be required. Weak soils can threaten structural integrity, requiring deep foundations. Results are kept on file and may be publicly available.
Bearing capacity is a determination of how much weight soils can support, an important part of preparing to build on new land. The load tolerance of the soil can determine the overall limitations of any structure built on it, as well as the choice of the most appropriate foundation. Geotechnical engineers can provide assessments and advice on soil conditions. This may be required for some types of construction and is strongly recommended in others. An architect or contractor might order soil tests to determine a site’s bearing capacity.
If the ground load is too high, it may be subject to shear failure. Soil could shift or settle under the building, threatening its structural integrity. This can be a particular concern in earthquake-prone regions, where buildings built on poor soils could collapse. Some soils are also prone to liquefaction, which can occur in earthquakes where the soil bulges out of the earth, weakening and losing cohesion.
Some soils have a very high bearing capacity. They may be suitable for shallow foundations, where the weight of a building is transferred to the immediately adjacent ground. Such foundations tend to be less expensive to build and require fewer materials. For construction teams and architects, this style may be preferred whenever possible because using a shallow foundation reduces overall construction time.
Such foundations are not suitable for weak soils. In situations where the bearing capacity is low, pillars and bearing supports must extend deep into the ground. They might anchor into bedrock for the best support or simply distribute the weight deeper, into an area of the ground better able to handle it. In some cases, the costs associated with a deep foundation may be so high that they limit the ability to build on a site, because the profit from building may not be worth the effort required to create a solid foundation.
Bearing capacity test results are typically kept on file with the rest of the documentation for a project. In cases where government officials conduct their own soil tests for safety reasons or in preparation for a public works project, these results may be publicly available. Interested parties can request copies from government agencies and may be able to meet with a representative to discuss the significance of the findings. In other cases, the agency will provide documentation, but citizens will need to hire their own consultants if they have difficulty understanding the carrying capacity of a given site.
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