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GATE 2026 CE (CE2) – Question 44

Geotechnical Engineering · Shallow foundations: bearing capacity, combined footing, raft, settlement · 2 marks · Multiple select

A shallow footing is subjected to a vertical load. Within the elastic limit of the underlying soil, the TRUE statement(s) is/are:

  1. Vertical displacement below a rigid shallow footing is uniform in clay as well as sand.
  2. Vertical contact pressure below a rigid shallow footing is uniform in clay as well as sand.
  3. Vertical displacement below a flexible shallow footing is uniform in clay as well as sand.
  4. Vertical contact pressure below a flexible shallow footing is uniform in clay as well as sand.

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Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: (A) Vertical displacement below a rigid shallow footing is uniform in clay as well as sand.; (D) Vertical contact pressure below a flexible shallow footing is uniform in clay as well as sand.

Explanation

A rigid footing settles uniformly, so its contact pressure is not uniform: it is larger at the edges on clay and smaller at the edges on sand. A flexible footing bends with the soil, so it carries the load as a uniform contact pressure, and its settlement is not uniform. So A and D are true, and B and C are false.