ABSTRACT

This paper presents a simple, economic, and sound design method that could be easily implemented worldwide, based on a new generation version of Dynamic Cone Penetrometer Test (DCPT) devices giving access to the whole cone resistance versus penetration depth of the cone curve, to predict the bearing capacity, as well as to estimate the load – settlement curve of a shallow foundation which is partly inspired from the French Penetrometer design method. A methodology is then proposed in this study for the conception of shallow foundation based on load transfer curves obtained from DCPT.