If the groundwater table rises due to flooding, what is the effect on the bearing capacity of the soil?

When the groundwater table rises due to flooding, it can lead to a decrease in the effective stress within the soil. The bearing capacity of soil is influenced by effective stress, which is the stress that contributes to the strength of the soil particles themselves. As the water table rises, the pore water pressure in the soil increases, leading to a reduction in effective stress. This reduction in effective stress results in decreased soil strength, ultimately lowering the soil's bearing capacity.

Soil types may react differently to changes in groundwater levels, but generally speaking, when groundwater rises, the overall trend is a decrease in bearing capacity due to the increase in pore water pressure overwhelming the effective stress. Therefore, as the groundwater table rises from flooding, it commonly leads to decreased bearing capacity in most soil types. This understanding is essential for civil engineering and geotechnical assessments, particularly in flood-prone areas.