Chapter 6 Foundation

Matthew 7: 24-25

Geology and soil mechanics confirmed the rock foundation bed to be

the most stable medium
Babylonian empire constructed Raft and Mat foundation out of sun-dried
and burned bricks
Greeks extensively used marble blocks as foundation tied together with
metal band.
Chinese builders used large stones carefully cut and accurately fitted to
each other without the use of mortar; Great Wall of China
Roman builders wood piles were used on a very soft ground; wooden mats
were laid underground where masonry structures stood upon them.
o Developed the construction of built up foundation consisting of flat
stone bounded with cement
John Root introduced the improved grillage footing made of steel rail
embedded in concrete in 1891

SOIL AS FOUNDATION
Soil is a material weaker than other common materials of construction such as
steel, concrete and wood.
Foundation design always include:
1. Effect of natures dead load plus live load
2. Load effects caused by wind, heat, water and earthquakes
3. Explosive blasts
Foundation are grouped into two broad categories
1. Shallow foundation
a. Spread footing
b. Mat or raft foundations
2. Deep foundation
a. Pile
b. Piers
c. Caissons
General Types of Foundations are:
1. Spread Footing typically a plain or reinforced concrete; a pad used to
spread out building column and wall load over sufficiently large soil area.
Common
a.
b.
c.
d.

shape of Spread Footing:

Square
Rectangular
Trapezoidal
Long Strips

2. Mat or Raft Foundation a large footing extending over a wide area or the
entire ground floor area of the building; a means to reduce differential
settlement between adjacent areas

3. Pile and Pier Foundation intended to transmit structural loads through

the upper zone of poor soil to a depth where the earth is capable of providing
the desired support; provide resistance to uplift
Piles are slender foundation units driven into place
Pier Units are formed in place by excavating an opening to the
desired depth where concrete is poured.
To indicate the method of installation by the terms:
a. Driven
b. Bored
c. Drilled
d. Precast
e. Cast in place

4. Caissons a structural box or chamber that is sunk in place or built in place

by excavating systematically below the bottom of the unit that descends to
the final depth.
Two types:
a. Open Caisson may be the box or pile type.
b. Pneumatic Caisson has the top and side sealed and used
compressed air to prevent water and soil from entering the lower
chamber.

5. Floating Foundation is a special kind of foundation representing a special

application of soil mechanic principles of a combination mat-caisson
foundation
PILES A structural member of small cross-sectional area with reasonable length
driven down into the ground by means of hammer or vibratory generators
Piles are classified according to:
1. Type and size
2. Shape as to the cross section
3. Material
As to kind of material piles could be:
1. Timber
2. Concrete

3. Metal
Important Functions and Uses:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Friction pile
Soil compactor
Bearing column
Stabilizer of banks
Batter pile
Dolphin
Sheeting

Definition of Terms:
o
o
o

o
o
o
o
o

Hammer refers to the entire driving unit

Ram - the moving weight that strikes the pile
Single Acting Hammer use steam or compressed Air to raise the
hammer ram to a position ready for driving
Simply rely on the weight of the heavy ram for driving piles
Double Acting Hammer use steam or compressed air to raise the
ram to a position ready for driving
Differential Acting Hammer similar in operation as the double
acting hammer
Diesel Hammer a self-contained self-activated units located within
an enclosed
Cylinder
Vibratory drivers operates on the principle different from the
conventional hammers.

Methods of Aid Pile Installation

Spudding procedure of driving an H steel pile

Pre-drilling process of drilling a hole
Jetting using a powerful stream of water

Concrete nd Pipe Piles

Cased Pile concrete cased inside a metal shell for left under ground
Uncased Pile a reinforced concrete pile minus the metal casing or shell

Metal Piles

H-Pile excellent in penetrating into hard rocks

Box Pile is sustainable materials for piles on landing banks or in deep
water
Rail Pile grouped into three rails; form a unit pile

Chapter 7 Masonry and Concrete

MASONRY art of building with stone, bricks, concrete blocks, etc.

Originally came from as early as 4000 BC from Mesopotamia, China and

Egypt
2600 BC, cut stones were used pyramids of Egypt
Dry stones were widely used by:
o Mayans
o Aztecs
o Inca
o Early Americans
Was also adopted in:
o Greece
o Egypt
o Ethiopia
o China
Use of Mortar was introduced by the Romans.