FOUNDATION
Building consist of two basic components:
.Super structure:The portion which is situated above the ground level is called superstructure.
.Sub structure/ FOUNDATION:It is the lower portion of the building, usually located below the ground level, which transmits the load of
the super structure to the sub soil.
Necessity of Foundation
• A foundation is that part of the structure which is in direct contact with the
ground to which the load are transmitted.
• The soil which is located immediately below the base of the foundation is called
the sub-soil or foundation soil.
• Foundation transmits the uneven load coming from superstructure to sub soil
evenly.
• The lowermost portion of the foundation which is in direct contact with the sub-
soil is called the footing.
• Basic function of a foundation it to transmit the dead load, super imposed
load( or live load) and wind load from a building to the soil on which the building
rests.
• It resist wind and earthquake forces coming on super structure
Function of Foundation:
Reduction of load intensity
• Foundation distribute the loads of the super-structure to a large area so that the intensity of the load at its base
does not exceed the safe bearing capacity of the sub-soil.
Even distribution of load
• Foundation distributes the non-uniform load of the super-structure evenly to the sub-soil.
Provision of level surface
• Foundation provide levelled and hard surface over which the super-structure can be built.
Lateral stability
• It anchors the super-structure to the ground, thus imparting lateral stability to the super-structure
Safety against undermining
• It provides the structural safety against undermining or scouring due to burrowing animals and flood
water.
Protection against soil movement
• Special foundation measures prevents or minimises the distress or cracks in the super-structure, due to expansion
or contraction of the sub-soil because of moisture movement in some problematic soils.
Requirements of a Good Foundation
• The foundations shall be constructed to sustain the dead and imposed loads and to transmit these to the sub soil in
such a way that pressure on it will not cause settlement which would impair the stability of the building or adjoining
structures.
• Foundation base should be rigid so that differential settlements are minimised, specially for the case when super imposed
loads are not evenly distributed.
• Foundation should be taken sufficiently deep to guard the building against damage or distress caused by swelling or
shrinkage of the sub soil
• Foundation should be so located that its performance may not be affected due to any unexpected future influence.
Types of foundation/ footing
• Shallow foundation (Depth ≤ width)
• A foundation is shallow if its depth is equal to or less than its width.
• Deep foundation (depth> width)
• A foundation is deep if its depth is greater than its width.
Under shallow foundation
• Individual footing or Isolated footing
• Combined footing
• Spread footing
• Strap footing
• Raft or Mat foundation
Individual Footing or Isolated Footing
• Individual footing or isolated footing is the most
common type of foundation used for building
construction.
• This foundation is constructed for single column and
also called as pad foundation.
• Shape of individual footing is square or rectangle and
is used when load from structure is carried by the
column.
Combined footing
• Combined footing is constructed when two or more
columns are close enough and their isolated footing
overlap each other.
• It is a combination of isolated footings, but their structural
design differs.
• The shape of this footing is rectangle and is used when
loads from structure is carried by the columns.
Spread footings
• Spread footings are those which spread the
super imposed load of wall or column over a
larger area.
• The wider base of this footing type provides
better stability to the building structure.
Strap footing
• If the independent footing of two columns are
connected by a beam, it is called a strap footing.
• It is used to help distribute the weight of either
heavily or eccentrically loaded column footings
to adjacent footings.
Mat Foundation (Raft Foundation)
• Raft or mat foundations are the types of
foundation which are spread across the entire
area of the building to support heavy structural
loads from columns and walls.
• Mat foundation is used for columns and walls
foundations where the loads from structure on
columns and walls are very high.
• It prevent differential settlement of individual
footings.
Deep Foundation
[Link] foundation
[Link] foundation or Drilled Caisson foundation
[Link] foundation or Caisson
Pile Foundations
• Pile foundation is that type of deep foundation in which
the loads are taken to a low level by means of vertical
member which may be of timber, concrete or steel.
Pier foundation (Drilled Caisson foundation)
• A pier foundation consists of a cylindrical column of
large diameter to support the superstructure and
transfer large super-imposed loads to the firm strata
below.
• A cast-in-situ pile greater than
0.6 m diameter is generally termed as a pier.
Drilled caisson is largely a compressed
member subjected to an axial load at the
top and reaction at the bottom.
Well Foundation
• Well foundation or caissons are box like structure
– circular or rectangular
– which are sunk from the surface of either land
or water to the desired depth
• These are having much larger in diameter than
the pier foundation or drilled caissons.
• Well foundation are hollow from inside, which
may be filled with sand, and are plugged at the
bottom.
