AbstractThe calculation of stresses induced inside the soil mass by the foundation loads forms an essential step in most of the geotechnical engineering problems dealing with the probable behaviour of foundations. The distribution of stresses on horizontal planes containing reinforcements at various depths is required in the analysis and design of reinforced soil foundations. An accurate evaluation of contact pressure distribution at the interface is a prerequisite for the computation of stresses inside the soil mass. Of the several approaches the elastic‐plastic approach of computing the contact pressure distribution appears to be reasonable. Using this approach non‐dimensional equations have been derived for calculating the contact pressure distribution beneath rigid circular foundations on sands. The contact pressure distribution so derived has been used for computing the stresses at various points using elastic theory. The results have been graphically presented and are compared with Boussinesq's distribution for uniform contact press