Assignment no: 3

Topic: What are different types of foundations in

construction. Discuss the makings of foundation of different
types.Given advantages and disadvantages of the foundation
types.

Subject: Foundation Lab

Submitted to: Sir Usama Sadat

Submitted By: Ali Kamran

Roll Number: 18107002-058

Department: BS Civil Engineering

Types of Foundations
Given the land beneath our feet can be comprised of many different types of soils, stones,
sediments, and more, geotechnical engineers must be cognizant of how these variables within the
earth impact construction and structural integrity.
There are two main categories of foundations in construction: Deep and shallow.
Deep Foundations
Deep foundations are required when building on sand and other soft soil that will not be able to
absorb the load of the building. Instead, a foundation must be established deep underground or
even underwater, where contact with stronger layers of the earth can be established.
Bridges, piers, and dams, for example, must lay foundations underwater, while still retaining
structural integrity. This is where deep foundations become essential to the construction of large
structures.
Shallow Foundations
Typically, a shallow foundation is one that is wider than it is deep. Shallow foundations can also
be called spread or open footings. For obvious reasons, shallow foundations are the more
economical of the two types. They don’t require much in the way of digging or boring into the
earth and for that reason, they are the most common. Shallow foundations are useful when the
building isn’t exceedingly heavy and the soil can bear a significant amount of weight at a
shallow depth.
Examples of Shallow Foundations
There are four examples of shallow foundations that we’ll cover mat, individual footing,
combined footing and stem wall. Each has a unique structure and various use cases
Mat Foundation
A mat foundation takes full advantage of the surface area where the building will be erected,
essentially using the basement as the entire load-bearing foundation. Mat 4 foundations are often
used when the soil is loose, weak, and requires the weight to be distributed evenly.
Mat foundations are also used when a basement is feasible and the pillars or columns are spaced
close together. It is often referred to as a raft foundation because the basement foundation is
submerged in the soil like the hull of a raft in water.
Individual Footing
One of the most common types of shallow foundation is the individual footing — it might even
be what comes to mind when you think of a foundation.
Individual or isolated spread footings are typically square, rectangular, or even a geometric
frustum block of concrete that carries the load of a single column or pillar. The width of
individual footings depends on the weight that will be carried and the bearable capacity of the
soil.
Combined Footing
A combined footing is very similar to an individual footing, except one base shares the weight of
two pillars or columns that are close enough together to warrant a shared foundation point.
Stem Wall Foundation
A wall, strip, or continuous footing is a foundation that runs the entire length of a load-bearing
wall. The strip footing is usually two or three times the width of the wall in question and is
usually built with reinforced concrete.
These foundations are typical when the building’s weight is distributed on load-bearing walls
instead of columns, pillars, or beams. Strip foundations are commonly used to build masonry
walls, but can also be used effectively when building on gravel or tightly packed sand. 6
Examples of Deep Foundations
Deep foundations are more commonly used for larger structures, but can be used for homes built
on steep cliffs, over water, on the beach, or other unique locations. Deep foundations are built
exactly where they sound — deep into the earth. The main examples, pile and caisson also have
some sub-types, which we’ll also cover.
Pile Foundation
The most common among the deep foundation category is the pile foundation. There are two
types of pile foundations: end-bearing and friction piles. Both consist of boring large, sturdy
columns deep into the ground.
End-Bearing Piles
Sometimes, the soil we build on will never bear enough weight for the project size being built,
even with dirt compactors and shallow foundations. Instead, we must bypass this layer of soft
soil and get to the substrata of bedrock beneath to distribute the load.
End-bearing piles are driven as deep into the ground as necessary for the end to make contact
with the rock layer within the earth. This allows the load to be passed through the piling and into
the rock, creating a safe distribution of weight.
Friction Piles
Friction piles take a different approach to the contending layer of soft soil. Instead of boring
down to the layer of rock, the principle behind friction piles is an exchange of forces with the
soil surrounding the column, taking full advantage of the surface area of the column.
The amount of weight a friction pile can sustain is directly proportional to its length. Every pile
has a zone of influence and must be spaced consistently to ensure even distribution and
absorption of weight. Piles can be made out of wood, concrete, or H-shaped steel.
Piles can either be prefabricated or driven into the ground or cast in situ (cast in place on the job
site).
Caisson Foundations
A Caisson foundation is most often used in the construction of a bridge, pier, or other structure
over water. But it can also be used to support freeway overpasses, hillside homes, and more.
Caissons can be prefabricated, floated to the drilling site, and placed in a dredged pit. Caissons
can also be built on-site with a mesh grid of rebar filled with concrete.
To build a caisson foundation the loose land is dug with an auger until bedrock is reached. While
digging, a hollow steel casing can be implanted to prevent the sand or soil from caving in on the
progress. The reinforcing mesh rebar is then centered within the casing and concrete is poured
starting at the bottom and filling up the 8 casing, forcing the remaining groundwater out the top.
Once the concrete has adequately filled, the casing can be removed.
There are a few variations of the caisson, here are the main types:
 Open caissons: a box without a bottom sunken into the ground and stabilized with weights for
ballast and a muck tube to remove excess groundwater. The pressurized chamber allows work to
be done inside.
 Pneumatic caissons: When maintenance work needs to be done deep underground or
underwater, these caissons are built to enable workers down the shaft.
 Monolithic caissons: Large single column caissons made of reinforced concrete.
 Sump caissons: Caissons with the ability to pump water from below. Often used by offshore
oil drillers to recirculate contaminated water.
 Box caissons: A hollow concrete box with bottom and sides is submerged and subsequently
filled with concrete. In its hollow state, the box is less dense than.
Foundation Type Used Advantages Disadvantages
Strip Foundation Used in low rise Cheap Understood by Might take longer
domestic construction site staff Involves Might need trench
such as building doing brick and block support Can be
houses, house work trenches hazardous as soil can
extensions where soil be loosened
has the right strength
Deep Strip Used in low rise No brick and block Could be more
Foundation construction such as work trenches needed expensive
building houses, Faster method of
house extensions construction
where soil has the
right strength