Some important issues referring to the Ultimate Limit States of geotechnical design of bridge shallow foundations are discussed using results of 2D and 3D FE analyses, as follows: (a) The effects of highly eccentric and inclined loadings on the bearing capacity of footings on cohesionless soils, (b) the effects of soil inhomogeneity in the special case of 2-layered clay, (c) the scour effects in case of abutment and piers in riverbed, from the geotechnical point of view.

bearing capacity, cohesionless soils, FE analyses, layered clay, scour effects