ANS:A - safe bearing capacity

Simply, maximum pressure which the soil can carry without risk of shear failure is called safe bearing capacity.

Ultimate Bearing capacity:

As the name suggests, it is the minimum load which can cause the shear failure of the supporting soil.

Correct answer is "A". I think the correct answer is ultimate bearing capacity because it is asking maximum pressure which a soil can carry without shear failure, safe bearing capacity is the pressure which soil can carry safely without failure but that's not the maximum pressure. 1. The intensity of loading, at the base of foundation, at which soil support fails in shear is called ultimate bearing capacity of soils.

2. Safe Bearing Capacity of Soils: The maximum intensity of loading that the soil will safely carry without risk of shear failure is called safe bearing capacity of soil. Your statement is true but the definition of ultimate bearing capacity says it is the maximum gross pressure that "can be" applied over the footing to just initiate a shear failure.

So, the answer is "ultimate bearing capacity".