Spread Footing Example

Problem Statement:
It is required a complete design for a square spread footing showing in Figure 1 with the
following design conditions:

Figure 1. The Footing

Dead Load = 350 kips
Live Load = 275 kips
weight of soil and concrete above base = 130 psf
Net Allowable soil pressure at the bottom of the footing = 3,750 psf
f`c = 3,000 psi, Welded wire reinforcement fy = 80,000 psi
Footing pedestal 1 x 1
Base Area :
The base area of the footing is determined using service (unfactored) loads with the net
permissible soil pressure.
Af =

= 167 ft2

Use a 13 x 13 ft square footing (Af = 169 ft2)

This example is to be used for educational purposes only.

Loads Soil Reaction:

To proportion the footing for strength (depth and required reinforcement) factored loads
are used.
Pu = 1.2 (350) + 1.6 (275) = 860 kips
qs = Pu/Af = 860/169 = 5.10 ksf

Depth:
Determine depth based on shear strength without shear reinforcement. Depth required for
shear usually controls the footing thickness. Both wide-beam action and two-way action
for strength computation need to be investigated to determine the controlling shear
criteria for depth.
Assume overall foot thickness = 33 in. with a clear cover of 3 in., and an assumed wire
diameter of in., effective depth in the primary direction is 29.75, in the secondary
direction is 29.25. The average effective depth d= 29.5 in. = 2.46 ft

Wide-beam action:
Vu = qw x tributary area
bw = 13 ft = 156 in.
Tributary area = 13 (6.0 2.46) = 46.0 ft2
Vn = (2
bw d)
= 0.75 (2
x 156 x 29.25) /1000
= 375 kips > Vu O.K.
Two-Way Action:
Vu = qs x tributary area
Tributary area =

Vu = 5.10 x 151.9 = 775 kips

= 151.9 ft2

= minimum of

bo = 2 ( 30 + 29.5) + 2 (12+ 29.5) = 202 in.

= 30/12 = 2.5
bo/d = 202/29.5 = 6.8

This example is to be used for educational purposes only.

= 40 for interior columns

Vc = 0.75 x 3.6
x 202 x 29.5 / 1000
= 881 kips > Vu = 775 kips
O.K.
Reinforcement:
Critical section for moment is at face of column
Mu = 5.10 x 13 x 62/2 = 1193 ft-kips
Compute required As assuming tension-controlled section ( = 0.9)
Required Rn = Mu / bd2 =
= 115 psi
= 0.85

/ fy

= 085 x 3 / 60

= 0.00147

(gross area) = d/h x 0.00147 = 24.75 /33 x 0.00147 = 0.00133

Check minimum As required for footings of uniform thickness; for grade 80 Welded
Wire Reinforcement r:
min

= 0.0018 x 60/80 = 0.00135 > 0.00133

Required As = bd
As = 0.00147 x 156 x 29.75 = 6.87 in2
Use D16 @ 4 each way As = 6.84 in2
Note that a lesser amount of reinforcement is required in the perpendicular
direction due to lesser Mu , but for ease of placement, the same uniformly
distributed reinforcement will be used each way. Also note that dt = 29.25 in. for
perpendicular direction.
Check net tensile strain ( t)
a = As fy / 0.85 fc b
=
= 1.38
This example is to be used for educational purposes only.

c = a/

= 1.38/0.85 = 1.62
= 0.003/c

= [0.003/c ] dt 0.003
= (0.003/1.62) x 29.75 0.003 = 0.0521 > 0.004
Therefore, the section is tension-controlled and initial assumption is valid, O.K.
t

Development of Reinforcement:
Critical section for development is the same as that for moment ( at face of column).
ld =

db

Clear cover = 3.0 in.

Center-to-center bar spacing =
cb = minimum of

Ktr = 0 (no transverse reinforcement)

=
= 2.0 use 2.0
t = 1.0 (less than 12 in. of concrete below bars)
e = 1.0 (uncoated reinforcement)
t e = 1.0 < 1.7
s = 0.8 (less than No. 7 bars)
= 1.0 (normal weight concrete)
ld =[

] x 0.451 = 19.76 in. > 12.0 in. O.K.

Since ld = 19.76 in. is less than the available embedment length in the short
direction
the D 16 wires can be fully
development. Use D 16 @ 4 each way.
Reinforcement Details:
Figures 2 and 3 show the reinforcement details and the dimension of the WWR.

This example is to be used for educational purposes only.

1'

6'

2'-543"

2'-9"

13'
WWR1

Figure 2. Cross section

12'-6"

12'-6"

WWR1 D16XD16@4"X4"
Figure 3. Sheet Details
Reinforcement Quantities:
The total steel weight for the footing = 517 lbs.
Design Using Grade 60 Rebar.
Figure 4 shows the reinforcement detail using Grade 60 Rebar.
The total steel weight for the footing using Grade 60 Rebar = 868 lbs.
Conclusions:
The ratio between the total weight per using Grade 80 WWR to the total weight using
Grade 60 Rebar = (517/868)*100 = 60 %.
This example is to be used for educational purposes only.

Placed of WWR Should be significantly faster than placement of the reinforcing bars,
resulting in additional overall saving.

1'

6'

2'-4"

2'-9"

13 # 8 Each
Direction

13'

Figure 4. Grade 60 Rebar Reinforcement.

This example is to be used for educational purposes only.