N-gamma for rough strip footing using the method of characteristics

By using the method of characteristics, the bearing capacity factor N-gamma was computed for a rough strip footing. The analysis was performed by considering a curved nonplastic wedge under the foundation base bounded by curved slip lines being tangential to the base of the footing at its either edge and inclined at an angle pi/4 - phi/2 with the vertical axis of symmetry. The existing theories in the literature for rough footings, which usually employ a triangular wedge below the footing base, were generally found to provide greater values of N-gamma as compared with the results obtained in this contribution.