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A site investigation has revealed loose-to-medium granular soils from ground level to some considerable
depth. The soil is variable with a safe bearing capacity ranging from 75–125 kN/m2. Also some soft spots
were identified, where the bearing capacity could not be relied upon.
The building could be supported on ground beams and piles taken down to a firm base, but in this case the
solution chosen is to design a wide reinforced strip foundation capable of spanning across a soft area of
nominal width.
To minimize differential settlements and allow for the soft areas, the allowable bearing pressure will be
limited to na = 50 kN/m2 throughout. Soft spots encountered during construction will be removed and
replaced with lean mix concrete; additionally, the footing will be designed to span 2.5 m across anticipated
depressions. This value has been derived from the guidance for local depressions given later on raft
foundations. The ground floor slab is designed to be suspended, although it will be cast using the ground as
permanent formwork.
Loadings
If the foundations and superstructure are being designed to limit state principles, loads should be kept as
separate unfactored characteristic dead and imposed values (as above), both for foundation bearing pressure
design and for serviceability checks. The loads should then be factored up for the design of individual
members at the ultimate limit state as usual.
For foundations under dead and imposed loads only, factoring up loads for reinforcement design is best
done by selecting an average partial load factor, γP, to cover both dead and imposed superstructure loads
from Fig. 11.22 (this is a copy of Fig. 11.20 Reinforced concrete strip design conditions.).
Fig. 11.22 Combined partial safety factor for dead + imposed loads.
From Fig. 11.22, the combined partial safety factor for superstructure loads is γP = 1.46.
This is all dead load, thus the combined partial load factor for foundation loads, γF = 1.4.
Adopt a 1.2 m wide × 350 mm deep reinforced strip foundation, using grade 35 concrete (see Fig. 11.23).
Fig. 11.23 Reinforced strip foundation design example – loads and bearing pressures.