In this paper, the effect of footing shape resting on dry sand when subjected to machine
dynamic loading is experimentally investigated. A laboratory set-up was prepared to simulate the case at different operating frequencies. Nine models were tested to examine
the effects of the combinations of two parameters, including different frequencies of (0.5,
1, and 2 Hz) and different footing shapes (circular, square and rectangular). The tests
were conducted under a load amplitude of (0.25 ton) using sand with medium and dense
relative densities corresponding to (R.D. = 50% and 80%) having unit weights of (17.04
and 17.96 kN/m3) respectively. A shaft encoder and a vibration meter were used to
measure the strain and amplitude displacement, while the stress in the soil at different
depths was measured using flexible pressure sensors. It was found that the shape of
footing has a considerable influence on the bearing capacity of the supporting soil under
dynamic loading. For instance, the strain of dry sand under a circular footing was nearly
(41%) higher, the amplitude displacement was nearly (17%) higher, and stress was
nearly (12%) higher than square and rectangular footings, under the same conditions.
@2019 TJES, College of Engineering, Tikrit University