# Preliminary Geotechnical Earth and Foundation Screening

Organize soil, groundwater, geometry, loading, and drainage assumptions before screening shallow-foundation capacity, infinite-slope stability, and Rankine active earth pressure. Calculator output is preliminary only.

> Canonical page: https://elysiatools.com/en/hubs/geotechnical-earth-and-foundation-screening

- **Keywords:** geotechnical screening, bearing capacity, slope stability, active earth pressure, groundwater assumptions, foundation screening, factor of safety, soil mechanics

## Frequently asked questions

### Does the bearing calculator return an allowable pressure or a factor of safety?

No. It calculates Terzaghi ultimate bearing capacity q_ult for the selected shallow-footing shape and soil inputs. It does not take applied foundation load or groundwater level, so a reviewer must define the comparison and safety-factor treatment separately.

### Which slope mode should I choose when water is present?

Use dry only when no seepage is part of the idealization. Use parallel when seepage is reasonably represented as parallel to the slope and provide saturated and water unit weights. A real groundwater regime, transient pore pressure, or layered slope may not fit either simplified case.

### Can active earth pressure include groundwater or wall friction?

Not directly. Its stated model is a smooth vertical wall with cohesionless backfill and optional uniform surcharge. Record groundwater, hydrostatic pressure, wall friction, backfill geometry, and other actions separately for engineering review.

### Is this a site investigation, geotechnical report, or construction approval?

No. It is an assumption-led preliminary screening workflow. Simplified calculator output does not replace field investigation, laboratory interpretation, a geotechnical report, complete design checks, or construction approval by a qualified professional.

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