This paper investigates the bearing capacity of ring footings under ec-centric load by using the simplified method as well as numerical simulations. In the simplified method or effective area method, it is assumed that the ring footing is equivalent to a rectangle with the same area, which is under uniform pressure and the corresponding bearing capacity is estimated by traditional bearing capaci-ty equation. The soil is assumed to be cohesionless. By using three-dimensional simulations, the bearing capacity of ring footings with eccentric load is assessed too. The results are compared with each other in terms of Reduction Factor (Rf). This factor is the ratio of the bearing capacity of an eccentrically-loaded footing to that with centric load, which is a function of load eccentricity. As the load eccen-tricity increases, the bearing capacity decreases. Comparison of the results shows that the simplified method underestimate the bearing capacity of eccentrically-loaded ring footings.

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