Bearing capacity is the maximum load soil or rock can safely support without causing settlement or structural failure.

Bearing capacity refers to the ability of soil or rock beneath a structure to support applied loads without excessive settlement or shear failure. It is a critical factor in foundation design, influencing the size, type, and depth of footings, slabs, and deep foundation systems.

In construction and geotechnical engineering, bearing capacity is determined through soil investigations, testing, and analysis. Factors such as soil type, density, moisture content, depth, and groundwater conditions all affect how much load the ground can safely carry. Engineers apply safety factors to ensure long-term performance under expected loads.

Accurate evaluation of bearing capacity helps prevent structural problems such as uneven settlement, cracking, or foundation failure. When natural soil conditions are inadequate, solutions such as soil improvement, larger footings, mat foundations, or deep foundations like piles and caissons may be used to safely transfer loads.

Rock has such high bearing capacity that some foundations can support massive loads with surprisingly small footing areas.

• Bearing Plate
• Joist Bearing
• Load-Bearing Wall