Efficient elastic-plastic design of small foundations

An elastic plastic design analysis method is presented for small foundations which utilizes an energy criterion to insure against large deflections or unwanted collapse. The interaction effects from direct loads and shears are included, which has the effect of predicting a carrying capacity somewhat less than that of ordinary limit analysis. The energy storage capacity is calculated in a fashion which is conservative since the reduction of the planar moments of inertia is ignored. Several examples are worked out which use various beam like structures to illustrate the enhancement of carrying capacity from the sections contribution and of the indeterminate structural reactions. The results are worked up in detail, both theoretically and by numerical examples to show the ease of application and efficiency of this method.