Abstract
The aim of this research is to investigate numerically the effect of using compacted sand as soil replacement layer beneath a strip footing on its bearing capacity. Finite element computer software Plaxis 2D version 8.6 was used to predict the behavior of strip footing resting on loose sand and on compacted sand. Study was conducted for footing widths of 1 up to 2 meters and various depths ranging from 1m up to 2m, also the effect of replacement layer thickness was investigated. It was found that using replacement layer beneath strip footing increases its bearing capacity for different widths and depths of footing. This improvement is observed up to thickness of replacement layer equal to 3 times the footing width (H/B=3), where further increase in replacement layer thickness does not affect significantly bearing capacity of footings.