Introduction to Basement

• A basement is part of a building that is either

partially or completely below ground level.
• A ‘basement storey’ is defined as ‘a storey with
a floor which at some point is more than 1,200 mm
below the highest level of ground adjacent to the
outside walls.’
• The term “basement” has been regarded as
synonymous to the term “deep pit”, which applies
to excavations over 4.5 m deep.
• The term ‘basement’ is sometimes used interchangeably with the term ‘cellar' and may refer to
any sort of below ground space used to provide accommodation, storage, car
parking, services spaces, and so on.
• A basement is a storey whose floor level is more than 2 metres below ground level. A semi‐
basement is where the basement floor level is at least 1 metre below the adjoining ground level.
• Dwellings on sloping sites where one side of the lowest floor level relates similarly to the ground
on that side of the building are also considered as basements since they share many of the
physical characteristics with other basement types.

Purpose -
The main purposes of constructing basements are:
(a) to provide additional space,
(b) as a form of buoyancy raft,
(c) in some cases, basements may be needed for reducing net bearing pressure by the removal of
the soil.

Basement Viability -
 1. Water table/Ground Water Pressure:

• The water table is usually encountered 1.5-3m from the ground surface in developed urban areas
close to the sea.
• As the depth of the basement increases, the uplift water pressure also increases linearly. The
increase in water pressure has global uplift and local high-pressure effects.
• Providing additional structural mass, tension piles, retaining walls and ground anchors are some
of the solutions.

2. Concrete Durability:

• The ground water in the region is highly saline and quite often contains considerable
concentrations of chlorides and sulphates.
• This means the concrete can be attacked by sulphates, and reinforcement corrosion can take
place because of the presence of the chlorides.
• Some solutions are concrete mix, concrete cover, limiting crack widths, a waterproofing
membrane and cathodic protection.

3. Permanent Retaining Wall Design:

• The permanent retaining wall needs to

be designed for lateral soil pressure,
hydrostatic water pressure, surcharge
pressure and lateral seismic earth
pressures.
• Furthermore, the crack width in the
retaining wall needs to be limited, as per
code requirements and local standards.
• Walls below ground are required to act
in a hostile environment and must be
highly durable.
• The requirement to exclude moisture is
highly significant due to positive
hydrostatic pressure in the ground.

4. Basement Slab Diaphragm Action:

• The basement slab acts as a restraint for the perimeter retaining wall and a medium to transfer
the lateral earth pressure to the lateral stability elements such as the core walls.
• Some of the considerations for engineers are the presence of large openings at or near the
retaining wall or the lateral stability elements, and slab offsets between the retaining wall and the
lateral stability elements.

5. Foundation Design:

• The foundation solution selected for deep basements is most often one of the following: raft
foundation, piled foundation and pile-assisted raft foundation.
• This is most effective for the design of tall buildings and requires complex and detailed analysis in
close coordination, as well as input from geotechnical engineers.
• The drivers for selection of the appropriate foundation solutions include building height,
basement depth, ground water table, allowable bearing pressure, boundary conditions, and
time and cost of the foundation solution.

6. Soil Considerations -

• A soil report is considered essential.

• Soil can have a low or high water content, can be crumbly or can gather water if you are on a
hill.
• Different soil types will need different types of waterproofing and various types of construction
methods.

NBC guidelines related to basement construction -

Height -
1. The minimum height of the basement should be 2.5 meters and the maximum height 4.5 meters.
2. The ceiling height should be a minimum of 0.9 meters and maximum of 1.2 meters above the
road surface.

Ventilation -

3. Ventilation is must for the basement and could be in the form of blowers, exhaust fans, air
conditioning, etc.

Where the basement contains a light well, it can sometimes be adapted to include an
opening window equivalent to 1/20th of the floor area of the room with a trickle vent at high
level. In any bath or shower rooms and extractor fan should be fitted. If there are no opening
windows in these rooms, extractor fans which are triggered by the light switch with overrun
timers should be fitted. This allows the fan to remain on for a period of time a fter the light is
turned off. Where natural ventilation through windows is not practical, a mechanical
ventilation system will need to be installed.

Surface Drainage
4. Surface drainage should not enter the basement.

Waterproofing
5. The basement’s walls and floors must be waterproof.

Accessibility
6. The basement should not be accessed directly from the road. It should be accessed only from
the main entrance or an alternative staircase that provides access to the building.
The best location for the staircase is immediately below the ground-to-first-floor
flight. Locating it elsewhere just eats into existing rooms, therefore reduces the
project’s cost-effectiveness and use of existing space.

7. Only when a projecting basement is flush with the ground, or if the authority allows, can the
basement be permitted to touch the adjacent property.
An example of a basement -

• In addition to structural integrity, two priorities when constructing new basements needed to be
mainly addressed: moisture protection and thermal control.
• With new construction techniques, one has the luxury of installing our moisture management
layers outboard of the foundation wall.
• The preferred method uses a fluid-applied elastomeric membrane applied directly to the exterior
face of concrete followed by a drainage mat with integrated filter fabric.
• Water in the soils adjacent to the foundation wall can then drain down to a drainage pipe
installed in a bed of gravel next to the foundation wall footing.
• A bentonite water stop laid atop a capillary break on the footing inhibits moisture movement
through the cold joint between foundation footing and foundation wall.
• To limit heat, air, and moisture transmission low or medium density spray foam insulation can be
used in a stud wall (or, alternatively, a continuous layer of EPS against the concrete wall
combined with blown-in insulation in a stud wall immediately inboard of that EPS).
• The concrete slab sits on 2-6” of rigid insulation with a perimeter thermal break and is then topped
with a soil-barrier membrane, completing the basement’s thermal and moisture isolation from the
earth.
Types of Basements –

A. On the basis of requirements –

1. Basement refurbishment or conversion of an existing cellar.

This is the most straightforward option that uses old cellar spaces which often have bare brick
walls and lack waterproofing. They tend to exist beneath Victorian and Edwardian houses. If there
is enough headroom such a basement conversion would involve damp proofing, improving the
staircase and access, and finishing works. If there isn't enough headroom the build gets more
complex as the basement conversion will need the floor to be lowered and the ceiling to be
raised.

2. A retrofit basement is when a basement is added to an existing home.

Adding a new basement to an existing building requires extensive and pricey excavations and
possibly underpinning to party walls. However, such basement conversions are still viable in high
value properties and neighbourhoods or when there is no other way to achieve more required
space. Such basement extensions can be underneath your property or extend further out.

3. Building a new basement from scratch.

This is when basements are constructed as part of a new build. This is a straight forward option
and can be fully or semi underground. Including a basement in a new build design can be a
great way to get more space from your land.

B. On the basis of functions –

Type Information Graphics

Basement • Defined as a level of a building that is entirely below the
ground floor of the building.
• It can only be accessed from inside the main building
and does not have windows.
Sub – • A sub-basement is another level of basement below the
Basement first level.
• A subbasement is a floor below the basement floor. In
the homes where there is any type of basement
mentioned above, all of the volume of the
subbasements from floor to ceiling are located well
below ground.
• Therefore, subbasements have no windows nor an
outside door.
• The subbasement connects to the rest of the house by
way of a staircase. Many people use the sub-basement
for storage when they already have another basement
space.
• Commercial building carparks are a prime example of
basement and sub-basement construction.
• Since it is necessary to dig deep down into the ground to
create a subbasement, this is a rather rare residential
upgrade. Sub-basement

• The entire foundation would need to be redone to

accommodate the extra space and fully support the
structure above.
• Subbasements are typically left unfinished, as they are
prone to flooding.

Day light
Basement • A daylight basement is an area where at least part of the
(or entire construction is above the external ground level, to
partially provide reasonably sized windows on at least one side.
under • Daylight basements stretch across the entirety of the
ground) home, effectively doubling the living space when
finished.
• They do not have any external doors.

Walk Out • A walk out basement is the term used to describe a

Basement below external ground level area that can be accessed
(where at from the ground level.
least one • These basements can either sit on ground level or
side is partially underground like daylight basements.
open) • Walk-out basements typically have a door to the outside
on the lower level, though there may be stairs leading up
to the exit.
• They generally have full-size windows that can open and
close freely.
 Cellars • A cellar is defined as an underground room that is often
used for the storage of wine or coal.
• A cellar is constructed underground as it's purpose is to
remain 'cool' all year, which 'below-ground' construction
provides.
• Ventilation of these areas are required to stop dampness
and mould affecting the stored items.

Crawl • A crawl space provides limited access to the plumbing

Space
and other components beneath the house.
• Usually accessible through a small door or hatch, this
space is often just a couple of feet in height.
• The crawlspace extends out all the way beneath the
residence, though some areas are not easily accessible
due to the plumbing lines and other obstructions.
• There is no standing room, hence the name.

A typical crawl space showing crawl space vents and

concrete rat-proofing. Rat-proofing is a thin, irregular
concrete covering applied over the soil to prevent rodents
from burrowing under the foundation wall and entering the
crawl space.

C. On the basis of depth –

1. Shallow Basement –

• A basement (which could also be referred to as a cellar) may be described as shallow when its
lowest floor is not more than 10m below the firefighting access level.

General Considerations –

• Within a 'shallow' basement only the floor separating the basement from the ground storey may
be a compartment floor of fire resisting construction.
• This means that the basement floor two levels down may not be fire separated from the
basement floor above.
• 'Shallow' basements are likely to exhibit limited access; however, the access routes available may
be horizontally from the outside or vertically from within the building.
• There is likely to be a lack of ventilation within the basement, however some ventilation may be
provided by means of pavement lights and doors.
• There is however a risk of rapid-fire development or back-draught during opening of such of vents
during firefighting operations.
• Fire behaviour in general within basements is unpredictable with little researched knowledge.
Structural fire engineering design is also invalid as the assumptions that are made become invalid
due to lack of ventilation within basement fires.
Inherent hazards -

• The basement may not be clearly visible to the fire and rescue service upon arrival.
• The access route to the basement from outside the building or from within the building may not
be clear.
• Access routes are likely to be the same as the smoke egress route.
• Lack of ventilation or lack of natural light.
• Basements are highly insulated spaces allowing the possibility for more rapid-fire growth.

2. Deep Basements –

• Deep basements can be constructed by installing diaphragm walls within a trench and providing
permanent support with ground anchors or by using the permanent lateral support given by the
internal floor during the excavation period.
• Temporary lateral support during the excavation period can be provided by lattice beams
spanning between the diaphragm walls.

General considerations -

• Within a deep basement it is likely that each basement level will be separated by a line of fire
resisting construction up to and including separation from the ground level storey.
• Considerations are similar as those for shallow basements; however, there may be additional
benefits regarding firefighting facilities.

Requirements -

• A firefighting shaft containing wet falling mains, firefighting lifts and firefighting stairs should be
installed providing access to every basement level.
• Firefighting shafts should also be provided with a pressure differential system.
• Natural or mechanical ventilation shafts should also be provided.
• There may be a foam inlet.

The following cross sections illustrate how lowering a basement reduces the 'freeboard' safety
factor, or clearance, between the finished basement floor and the municipal sewer system.

• Where sewer elevations are not favourable, ejector pumps for sewage may be proposed
which would create a good hydraulic break between the municipal sewer and the
lowered / underpinned basement.

• In any case, where a basement is lowered, especially when the new space is then finished
and filled with valuable contents, a backwater valve should be installed to reduce back-up
risk.

• This can only be considered where downspouts and weeping tiles drains (foundation drains)
are separated from the sanitary lines, to avoid flooding the home upstream of the backwater
valve with local drainage.
 D. On the basis Of materials -

Type Information Graphics

Poured • Poured concrete basement are the most
Concrete
common and the choice that most people
prefer.
• This type of basement construction starts by
pouring footing for the basement foundation.
• After these are set, forms are used to hold the
poured concrete wall in place as they dry.
• Poured concrete walls tend to be stronger
than other types of basement walls.
• Used in high water table areas.

ADVANTAGES-

• Solid concrete is better able to resist cave-ins

caused by lateral pressures of water, earth,
and wind.
• More fire resistance-because solid concrete is
dense and is joint free.
• More resistant to water because concrete has
fewer and smaller voids than concrete block.

DISADVANTAGES-

• High hydrostatic pressure outside a poured

concrete basement can cause water to seep
through due to the pressure creating floor and
wall cracks.

Masonry • A block or masonry wall is the least expensive

Walls for basement walls.
• This type of basement wall construction is
made from cinder blocks.
• This method requires less time than other
methods of basement construction.
• To increase the durability of this type of
basement construction, steel rebar is
sometimes used to reinforce the masonry wall.
• Cons - A block concrete basement wall will
bow easier than other types due to the
pressure against the walls that weakens the
mortar joints.
• Used in low water table areas.
Precast • Precast panel basement wall construction is
Panels the method where the walls are moulded at
another location.
• Then the walls are transported to the building
and place on footers. This type of basement
construction is quite strong but is not as
commonly done as poured or block
basements.
• Precast panel basement construction can
have moisture problems if the joists are not
properly sealed causing moisture vapor to get
trapped in the panels.
• These panels can also attract insects unless
they have been treated with boric acid.
• Precast concrete basement construction is
quite strong. But this foundation system is not
as commonly used as poured concrete or
concrete block.

Concrete • Although not as strong as reinforced concrete

Blocks basement construction, concrete block
basements are absolutely strong enough to
support a house and can be reinforced to
make them even stronger if your site
conditions require it.
• If the level of the soil outside your basement
(it’s called the finished grade) is higher than
your basement floor, you are said to have
an “unbalanced backfill” condition.
• If the height of the unbalanced backfill is less
than four feet, your basement construction
can be done with a simple unreinforced, 8”
block wall. If the unbalanced backfill is up to
five feet, you’ll need a 12” block wall. If it’s up
to six feet, you’ll need a 12” concrete block
wall that is filled solid with grout or built with
solid block units. If the unbalanced fill is higher
than that, you will need additional steel
reinforcing.
• For areas with expansive soils and if your house
will have an unbalanced fill condition above
six feet, reinforced concrete basement
construction would be best. This is the most
expensive option.
Uses of Basements –

• Basements are common in tall buildings as carparks, storage of services and underground
shopping centres.
• In most cases, the main function of the basement in a building is to provide additional space for
the owner, and the fact that it reduces the net bearing pressure by the weight of the displaced
soil may be quite incidental.
• In cases where basements are actually needed for their function in reducing net bearing
pressure, the additional floor space in the substructure is a bonus.
• It is generally used as a utility space for a building, where such items as the boiler, water heater,
breaker panel or fuse box, car park, and air-conditioning system are located; so also, are
amenities such as the electrical distribution system and cable television distribution point.
• In cities with high property prices basements are often fitted out to a high standard and used as
living space.

According to the regulations of the National Building Code,

• A basement can be used only as a storage, dark room, bank cellar, parking space or to keep
equipment requiring constant air conditioning.
• Kitchen, bathroom, and toilet are also not allowed in a basement, unless the sewer levels permit
the same and there is no chance of back flow and flooding of the sewerage.
• Commercial purposes: The government allows building offices in basements. However, the
existing state laws would apply and the permission of various authorities are sought before
carrying out with the commercial activities. The building by-laws provide that storage and
parking, basement space cannot be a part of FAR but commercial space will be included in the
calculation of FAR usage, in this case.
• For group housing: Here, basement construction is allowed for parking, utilities and services and
is not counted in FAR. Thus, the concept of basement parking is now getting popular in housing
projects.

Advantages -

• An increase in floor area without an increase in the size of the footprint of a building or a
significant impact on the size of the garden.
• An increase in space to support growing families without the need to move house.
• Semi-basements can make good use of sloping sites since constructing a basement will negate
the requirement for levelling the site.
• If an existing house is located in a sensitive area, for example an Area of Outstanding Natural
Beauty, where there are restrictions on development, the construction of a basement can allow
the addition of extra space that would otherwise not be allowed.
• Houses with basements can have improved energy efficiency since the basement will have fewer
exposed external walls.
Disadvantages -

• The significant cost of excavation, working below ground in confined spaces and waterproofing.
• Disruption caused by excavation works.
• Difficulty providing natural lighting, ventilation, drainage, access and means of escape.
• There is the potential that waterproofing can fail, which can be difficult and costly to fix.
• It may be difficult to find consultants and contractors as they may be concerned about potential
future litigation if the basement was to fail.
• High Noise Echo Levels.
• Risks of Pest Infestation.

Insulation

• As basements are surrounded by earth, their temperature has a tendency to remain fairly even
throughout the year. There are several methods of insulating a basement, such as
foam insulation, rigid insulation boards, or fibreglass batts.
• These allow for the retention of heat inside the basement and the prevention
of condensation on walls which will eventually lead to mould growth. It is particularly important
that basements are properly ventilated as they may have a vapour-
impermeable construction and are unlikely to have openable windows.
• Building services are likely to supply the basement from above, and drainage from
the basement is likely to require pumping.

Risks

Compared with building higher, building down can involve more risks. The complexity of basement
excavation increases with the depth, a higher water table, and a more congested site.

Prior to construction, good site information and soil tests are critical in terms of being able to
adequately plan and forecast potential difficulties that may arise.

The most common risks are:

• Drainage difficulties and risks of flooding due to poor weather.

• Poor ground conditions and natural ground heave or settlement.
• Various obstructions, such as tunnels, existing services, mining works, archeological remains, and
so on.
• Boundary issues that may prove to be contentious, most commonly the foundations of
nearby properties (see party wall act and right of support).
• Loads from adjacent buildings and roads.
• Failure of waterproofing, insurance, and guarantees.

Sanjana Bhandiwad
Sr no 4