Bearing Capacity of Strip Footing on Clay Soil Reinforced with Metal Strips and with Anchors

Experiments were conducted on model strip footings resting on clay soil reinforced with horizontal layers of strip reinforcement with and without end plate anchors. Load and corresponding settlements were measured and results presented in the form of pressure–settlement curves. Model strip footing was a rigid steel plate while galvanized iron sheet strips of 1 mm thickness were used as reinforcement with 16% coverage. Anchor plates were attached on either side of strip reinforcement. Tests were conducted for three arrangements of reinforcement, i.e., length increasing with depth, constant length, and length decreasing with depth. Bearing capacity increased by 38 and 370% respectively compared to unreinforced soil for without and with anchor conditions. Maximum increase was observed for the case of constant length of reinforcement. Provision of end anchors increases the bearing capacity significantly and permits use of shorter reinforcement with low coverage ratio.