In cohesionless soil, which term predominantly influences bearing capacity?

In cohesionless soil, the predominant factor influencing bearing capacity is the term associated with depth. This is because, in cohesionless soils, such as sandy soils, the shear strength largely depends on the effective stress, which is influenced by the overburden pressure as you go deeper into the soil.

The bearing capacity can be understood through the parameters set forth in Terzaghi's bearing capacity theory, where the bearing capacity of cohesionless soils primarily derives from the weight of soil above, which increases with depth. This depth-related term is crucial, as it reflects the fact that deeper layers are subjected to greater vertical stress, which enhances resistance to loading.

In cohesionless soils, there is little to no cohesive strength, unlike cohesive soils where cohesion plays a critical role. The density of the soil does contribute indirectly by affecting its ability to compact and provide lateral resistance, but it is the depth that has a more direct effect on bearing capacity through increased overburden pressure. Gravity as a term does contribute to the overall loading effects, but it doesn't specifically address the interplay of depth in the context of bearing capacity for cohesionless materials.

Therefore, the depth term is the key factor recognized in evaluating the bearing capacity of cohesionless soils, making it the most significant