Ce.Ca.P. is a complete
package for the analysis and design of foundations; because of
its completness, flexibility ad user-friendliness it is a
fundamental instrument for any kind of geothecnical project. 
To calculate the bearing
capacity of foundations, the following methods can be used:
Terzaghi, Meyerhof, Hansen and Vesic. Such methods are based on
different hypotheses regarding failure modes, and it is
therefore interesting to compare the different results.
Normally, the allowable
bearing pressure is determined for a given shape (square,
rectangular, circular or strip) and stratigraphy.
The safety factor under
effective load conditions is determined as the ratio between the
ultimate bearing pressure and the effective vertical stress.
It is possible to
determine the settlement of foundations that result from normal
loads and from moments. 
The calculation is
performed at the most significant points and the rotations due
to differential settlement are therefore determined also.
The settlement can be
determined for square, rectangular, circular or strip
foundations.
The use of numerical
methods allows one to determine immediate elastic deformation
and the long term effects of consolidation separately.
The program allows one to
group together several described individually foundations and to
evaluate the effect of the overloads induced by surrounding
foundations. This option allows one to analyse more complex
cases, like the influence of the neighbouring foundations,
foundations of any geometry and foundations on heterogeneous
materials. Due to the flexibility of the numerical approach, it
is possible to perform the calculations with the most frequently
used theories (Boussinesq, Terzaghi or Skempton).
The bearing capacity of
small, middle or large diameter foundation piles can be
determined in stratified, coherent or incoherent soil, in
drained or undrained conditions.
 Different
formulae are used for driven piles (in steel or concrete) and
for drilled piles, thereby taking the effects induced by
drilling or pile driving into account.
Calculations to obviate
the risk of seismic disturbances are also possible.
The formulae and
experimental curves proposed by different authors are used, thus
allowing the results obtained from different methods to be
compared.
Point and skin resistance
(whose sum constitutes the ultimate pile capacity) are
determined separately, and the safety factor is thus determined
for project loads.
The program performs the
calculations for different families of diameters and lengths,
and the resultant chart allows the choice of the combination of
the optimal diameter-length from an economic point of view.
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CECAP