Illustrate the general shear failure in bearing capacity.

General Shear Failure:

In this case of failure, contiguous failure surfaces develop between the edges of the footing and the ground surface as shown in below figure it is identified by a well defied wedge beneath the foundation and slip surfaces extending diagonally from the side edges of the footing downwards through the soil and then upwards on the adjoining ground surface (the ground surface adjacent to the footing bulges upwards).

General Shear

Soil displacement is accompanied by tilting of the foundation (unless the foundation is restrained). The general shear failure mode is also identified by a well-defied maximum load in a load-settlement curve. This mode of failure is typical of soils of low compressibility.