Safety Criteria and Standards for Bearing Capacity of Foundation

Abstract EN

This paper focuses on the evaluation standards of factor of safety for foundation stability analysis.

The problem of foundation stability is analyzed via the methods of risk analysis of engineering structures and reliability-based design, and the factor of safety for foundation stability is determined by using bearing capacity safety-factor method (BSFM) and strength safety-factor method (SSFM).

Based on a typical example, the admissible factors of safety were calibrated with a target reliability index specified in relevant standards.

Two safety criteria and their standards of bearing capacity of foundation for these two methods (BSFM and SSFM) were established.

The universality of the safety criteria and their standards for foundation reliability was verified based on the concept of the ratio of safety margin (RSM).