Safe Bearing Capacity
Terzaghi ultimate and safe bearing capacity for shallow footings.
Inputs
Results
Enter your values, then press Calculate Now to evaluate the output.
Guide — Safe Bearing Capacity
The bearing capacity calculator below follows standard Indian construction practice and the relevant IS-code conventions. Enter the site dimensions exactly as measured, press Calculate Now, then refine the quantities line by line in the live sheet before you export.
Terzaghi's equation adds three contributions: cohesion times Nc, surcharge from the overburden times Nq, and the footing width term with Nγ. The bearing capacity factors depend only on the angle of internal friction.
A factor of safety of 2.5–3.0 is applied to the ultimate value. For most design work the net safe bearing capacity — safe capacity minus the overburden pressure — is the number that goes on the drawing.
Bearing capacity is rarely the governing criterion in fine-grained soils; settlement usually is. Always check that the differential settlement stays within 1/500 of the span for framed structures.
Treat every output as an indicative pre-tender estimate. Site conditions, wastage allowances, specification changes and local market rates all move the final figure, so validate against your drawings and approved rate analysis before procurement.
Master Measurement Sheet
| Sr. No. | Description | Unit | NOS 1 | NOS 2 | L | B | D | QTY | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.000 |
Ratings & reviews
What engineers say about the Safe Bearing Capacity.
Leave a review
Sign in to rate this calculator. Reviews are published after moderation.
About the Safe Bearing Capacity
This tool is built for site engineers, quantity surveyors, contractors and property investors who need dependable numbers fast. Every input is reactive — changing a single field instantly recomputes the full output set, so you can run sensitivity checks on dimensions, grades and rates before committing to an estimate.
Keep unit consistency in mind: metric inputs (metres, square metres, cubic metres) produce metric outputs, with imperial and Indian trade units shown alongside where they are commonly used on site.