What does bearing capacity refer to in civil engineering?

Bearing capacity in civil engineering refers to the ability of soil to support the loads applied to the ground without undergoing excessive settlement or failure. This property is crucial in designing foundations for structures, as it determines how much weight the soil can hold without collapsing or experiencing unacceptable deformation.

When foundations are designed, engineers assess the bearing capacity to ensure that it meets the required safety and performance standards. If the applied loads exceed the soil's bearing capacity, settlement can occur, potentially leading to structural damage or failure.

The other options, while related to soil properties and behavior, do not accurately define bearing capacity. The stress required to achieve soil compaction deals with how densely the soil can be packed, the volume of excavated soil pertains to excavation operations, and the load at which soil liquefaction occurs relates to the soil's response during seismic events, rather than its ability to support static loads. Thus, the correct answer clearly encapsulates the concept of bearing capacity in civil engineering.