: This research study aims to investigating the potential benefits of using the reinforcement to improve the bearing capacity and reduce the settlement of shallow foundations. To implement this objective, a total of forty tests with square model footings were performed to study the behavior of reinforced soil foundations. The test results showed that the inclusion of reinforcement can significantly improve the soil’s bearing capacity and reduce the footing settlement. The reinforcement with higher tensile modulus performed better than reinforcement with lower tensile modulus. Another important point that concluded from experimental works is the optimum embedment depth for include the reinforcements in soil mass. This depth is propose . On the other hand, the effective depth that beyond that the inclusion of reinforcement element hasn’t any effect on bearing capacity is about 1B and optimum space between layers is propse 0.25B. The stress and strain distributions in soil mass were studied by modeling some of experimental tests in FDM program FLAC3D. Software results indicate that reinforcement helps spread the stress and strain to the deeper soil layers and zones. Thus, stress and strain concentration reducing underneath the foundation and therefore reducing the settlement too. The various soil, reinforcement and foundation condition effects on bearing capacity ratio were also investigated. The results of this series of modellings show an optimum stiffness for reinforcements. Reinforcement length has an optimum value about 2B, too. On the other hand, existence of an embedment depth for footing reduce its bearing capacity ratio