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L6 Foundations
L6 Foundations
CONCRETE
STRUCTURES
Foundations
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Associations); ERMCO (European Ready Mixed Concrete Organisation).
6. Foundations
Introduction
This should be redrafted in each
country as appropriate
Limit states
The following ultimate limit states (ULS) should be satisfied for
geotechnical design; they each have their own combinations of
actions. (For an explanation of Eurocode terminology refer to How
to design concrete structures using Eurocode 2: Introduction to
Eurocodes2).
EQU Loss of equilibrium of the structure.
STR
Internal failure or excessive deformation of the structure or
structural member.
GEO Failure due to excessive deformation of the ground.
UPL
Loss equilibrium due to uplift by water pressure.
HYD Failure caused by hydraulic gradients.
In addition, the serviceability limit states (SLS) should be satisfied.
It will usually be clear that one of the limit states will govern the
design and therefore it will not be necessary to carry out checks for
all of them, although it is considered good practice to record that
they have all been considered.
Geotechnical categories
Eurocode 7 recommends three geotechnical categories to assist in
establishing the geotechnical design requirements for a structure
(see Table 1).
Spread foundations
The geotechnical design of spread foundations (e.g.
strip and pad foundations) is covered by section 6 of
Eurocode 7, Part 1 and this gives three methods for
design:
Direct method calculation is carried out for each
limit state.
Indirect method experience and testing used to
determine serviceability limit state parameters that
also satisfy all relevant limit states (included in
Eurocode 7 mainly to suit French design methods,
and is not discussed further here).
Prescriptive method in which a presumed bearing
resistance is used.
For most spread foundations, settlement will be the
governing criterion; traditionally allowable bearing
pressures have been used to limit settlement. The
concept of increasing the factor of safety on bearing
resistances to control settlement may still be used with
the prescriptive method. The exception is for soft clays
where Eurocode 7 requires settlement calculations to be
undertaken.
When using the direct method, calculations are carried
out for each limit state. At the ULS, the bearing
resistance of the soil should be checked using partial
factors on the soil properties as well as on the actions.
At the SLS the settlement of the foundations should be
calculated and checked against permissible limits.
The prescriptive method may be used where calculation
of the soil properties is not possible or necessary and
can be used provided that conservative rules of design
are used. Methods operating in a country currently to
determine presumed (allowable) bearing pressures may
continue to be used for category 1 structures and
preliminary calculations for category 2 structures (see
Table 5). Alternatively, the presumed bearing resistance
to allow for settlement can be calculated by the
geotechnical designer and included in the geotechnical
design report.
EQU combination
where:
Gk is the stabilising characteristic permanent action
(Use 1.1 Gk for a destabilising permanent action) Qk,w is
the destabilising characteristic variable wind action
Raft foundations
The basic design processes for rafts are similar to those for
isolated pad foundations or pilecaps. The only difference in
approach lies in the selection of an appropriate method for
analysing the interaction between the raft and the ground so
as to achieve a reasonable representation of their behaviour.
For stiffer rafts (i.e. span-to-thickness greater than 10) with a
fairly regular layout, simplified approaches such as yield line
or the flat slab equivalent frame method may be employed,
once an estimation of the variations in bearing pressure has
been obtained from a geotechnical specialist. Whatever
simplifications are made, individual elastic raft reactions
should equate to the applied column loads.
Thinner, more flexible rafts or those with a complex layout
may require the application of a finite element or grillage
analysis. For rafts bearing on granular sub-grades or when
contiguous-piled walls or diaphragm perimeter walls are
present, the ground may be modelled as a series of Winkler
springs. However, for cohesive sub-grades, this approach is
unlikely to be valid, and specialist software will be required.
Pile foundations
For the purpose of this guide it is assumed that the pile
design will be carried out by a specialist piling contractor.
The actions on the piles must be clearly conveyed to the pile
designer, and these should be broken down into the
unfactored (i.e. partial factor = 1.0) values for permanent
action and each of the applicable variable actions (e.g.
imposed and wind actions). The pile designer can then carry
out the structural and geotechnical design of the piles.
Where moments are applied to the pilecap the EQU
combination should also be used to check the piles can
resist the overturning forces. These EQU loads must also be
clearly conveyed to the pile designer and procedures put in
place to ensure the piles are designed for the correct forces.
A pilecap may be treated as a beam in bending, where the
critical bending moments for the design of the bottom
reinforcement are located at the column faces. For further
Note
where:
gd
fctd
References
1
NARAYANAN, R S & BROOKER, O. How to design concrete structures using Eurocode 2: Introduction to
Eurocodes. The Concrete Centre, 2005.
EN 199211, Eurocode 2: Design of concrete structures. General rules and rules for buildings.
MOSS, R M & BROOKER, O. How to design concrete structures using Eurocode 2: Beams.
The Concrete Centre, 2006.
Guides in this series cover: Introduction to Eurocodes, Getting started, Slabs, Beams, Columns, Foundations, Flat
slabs and Deflection calculations. For free downloads, details of other publications and more information on
Eurocode 2 visit www.eurocode2.info
This guide is taken from The Concrete Centres publication, How to design concrete structures using Eurocode 2
(Ref. CCIP-006)
Acknowledgements
This guide was originally published by BCA and The Concrete Centre in the UK. The authors of the original publication
were R Webster CEng, FIStructE and O Brooker BEng, CEng, MICE, MIStructE