Abstract: The lower-bound solution for bearing capacities of existing strip footings locat on the top of excavated slope was obtained by using finite elements and linear programming.As accepted in other proposals,the estimate of the limit load near an excavation was obtained herein respectively from the cohesion,the footing depth(overburden) and the soil weight.The results with various footing locations,slope angles and internal friction angles were given in terms of the bearing capacity coefficients,and their characteristics were discussed.Furthermore,the results were compared to those from the reference and the upper-bound solutions by using multi-blocks of Prandtl’s collapse mechanism.Finally,the reduction factors were calculated according to the average values between lower and upper bound.The possible influences on the solution of the present method were also discussed.