Japanese Standard
The allowable bearing capacity as per the Japanese standard are listed below:
| Ground Type | Allowable Bearing Capacity (kN/m2) | ||
| Japanese | English | Long-term Loads 長期 | Short-term Loads 短期 |
| 岩盤 | Rock | 1,000 | 2,000 |
| 固結したの砂 | Compacted Sand | 500 | 1,000 |
| 土丹盤 | Dodan (Very Dense Firm Clay) | 300 | 600 |
| 密実な礫層 | Dense Gravel | 300 | 600 |
| 密実な砂質地盤 | Dense Sandy Soil | 200 | 400 |
| 砂質地盤 (*) | Sandy Soil (*) | 50 | 100 |
| 堅い粘土質地盤 | Firm Clayey Soil | 100 | 200 |
| 粘土質地盤 | Clayey Soil | 20 | 40 |
| 堅いローム | Firm Loam | 100 | 200 |
| ローム Loam | Loam | 50 | 100 |
* Excluding sandy soil susceptible to soil liquefaction.
British Standard
The following table has been adapted from BS 8004:1986:
| Category | Types of Rocks and Soils | Allowable Bearing Capacity (kN/m2) |
| Rocks | Strong igenous and gneissic rocks Strong limestones or sandstones Schists and slates Strong shales, mudstones or siltstones | 10,000 |
| Granular Soils | Dense gravel or dense sand & gravel Medium dense gravel, or medium dense sand & gravel Loose gravel, or loose sand & gravel Compact sand Medium dense sand Loose sand | > 600 200 to 600 < 200 > 300 100 to 300 < 100 |
| Cohesive Soils | Very stiff boulder clays and hard clays Stiff clays Firm clays Soft clays and silts Very soft clays and silts | 300 to 600 150 to 300 75 to 150 < 75 Not applicable |
| Peat and Organic Soils | Not applicable | |
| Made ground or fill | Not applicable | |