Ultimate bearing capacity of circular shallow foundations in frozen clay

This paper presents a study on the ultimate bearing capacity of circular shallow foundation in frozen clay. The bearing capacity were determined by model test, numerical simulation and analytical solution. In numerical simulation, the temperature field considering the phase transition was transformed into a temperature load and applied to a three-dimensional solid model. The generalized Kelvin model was used to describe the creep of frozen clay, and step loading was used. Based on the tests results that frozen soil fails because of local shear, we proposed an analytical model to estimate the ultimate bearing capacity of circular shallow foundation with local shear failure mechanisms. Based on the limit equilibrium theory, it was assumed that the fracture plane of the model only develops to the boundary between the transition zone and the passive zone. The results from present study and some other method are presented and compared, which has shown and verified the feasibility of our method. And the analytical solution is in good consistent with the results of the model test and numerical simulation.