www.beautiful-basements.co.

uk

Construction
Technology 3

Assignment 2: Basement Construction

Dr. Patrick Tang, School of Architecture and the Built Environment

Michael Dernee

C3089219
Abstract:

In the brief for the basement, there is the potential for rapid expansion. The Amazon highway is very close and
noise pollution could affect the building’s potential. Therefore the basement will be as low as possible allowing
noise pollution to travel over the proposed building. Techniques will ensure that the least amount of energy
will be needed to create the building and that the materials used will be long lasting to create not only an
environmentally sustainable building but a physically sustainable building that will stand for many years.
Appendix:

Title Page ........................................................................................................ i

Abstract ........................................................................................................ ii

Appendix ........................................................................................................ iii

Physical ........................................................................................................ 1

• Use ........................................................................................................ 1
• Location ........................................................................................................ 1
• Volume (horizontal) .......................................................................................... 1
• Clear site ........................................................................................................ 1
• Volume (vertical) .......................................................................................... 1
• Type of soil ........................................................................................................ 2
• Water table ........................................................................................................ 2
• Disposal ........................................................................................................ 2

Mechanical ...................................................................................................................... 3

• Fixed ........................................................................................................ 3
• Moving ........................................................................................................ 3
• Transport system .......................................................................................... 4
• Excavation lateral support system ........................................................................... 5
• Ground water control .......................................................................................... 6
• Foundation .......................................................................................... 7

Shallow foundation ........................................................................... 7

Deep footings ........................................................................... 7
• Basement construction method ........................................................................... 8
• Slab .......................................................................................... 8
• Waterproof membrane ............................................................................ 9
• Drainage .......................................................................................... 10
• Columns .......................................................................................... 11
• Suspended slab .......................................................................................... 12

Cost analysis ........................................................................................................ 13

Pictorial explanation .......................................................................................... 14

Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 17

Bibliography ......................................................................................................... 18
Physical:

• Use

Basement allocation: the use of the basement will be for car parking, to help shoppers of the
centre above (assignment two) for maximum shoppers.

• Location

Streetscape: the streetscape of the building will be on Davidson Road, Hill Street and Amazon
Highway, where the ground level will be two metres below Amazon Highway to remove some of
the sound of the highway, whilst still advertising that there are shops there.

Entrance: the location of the entrance will be on Davidson Road (shown in site plan). The reason
for this is it is a more open location where an entrance would be.

Exit: the location of the exit will be on Olive Street (shown in site plan). The reason for this is a
quiet street for easy exiting to the road.

Basement location: the basement will take up the whole area to allow for the highest amount of
parking spaces; there will be a two metre inwards perimeter of the site, so that in construction
the pathway can still be used.

• Clear site

Clearing vegetation: 9 trees, 3 trees under 500mm, 6 trees 500/1000mm.

Removal of trees: cost estimates, 500mm less $162 each, 500-1000 $162 each. Therefore total
cost would accumulate to $1488.

• Volume (horizontal)
2

Basement size: 2,900,000mm
2

Building floor area: 2,900,000mm

• Volume (vertical)

Depth: the depth of the basement will not go further than +56m from sea level (5 metres in
depth)
3

Amount of excavation: 14,911m

3

Cost of excavation: the cost of excavation of soft rock is $65.40m

• Type of soil

Reactive ability: there will be a combination of Made Ground : Very stiff (compacted) ashy sandy
clay with brick and tile rubble and fine to coarse gravel, Medium dense becoming dense grey fine
to coarse angular to sub rounded flint gravel with cobbles, and a trace of sand.

Compressive strength: the soils are closely dense, such that a foundation will need to be
reinforced but will only have to be a shallow one.

• Water table

Height: The water table does not go higher than +45m from sea level (16m in depth) and
therefore there is no need to worry about the water level and the use of a water pump, yet still a
need for waterproofing.

• Disposal

Type: as there is no known location of the site or local disposal areas, this cannot be answered,
but as shown in the mechanical disposal section (page) many different combinations can occur. It
can be used as infill for another site.

Distance: it is unknown.
 Mechanical:

• Fixed:

Name Picture Volume (V) Load (L) / VxL/H Suited conditions Price
hour (H)
3 3
Shovel face 0.3 – 6m 80 24 – 480m Soil below or level and N/A (was not in
forwards the Rawlinsons
Australian
construction
farm4.static.flickr.com
handbook 2010)
3 3
Backhoe 0.1 – 1.8m 40 4 - 72m Soil above dug down and N/A (was not in
backwards the Rawlinsons
Australian
construction
excavators101.com
handbook 2010)
3 3
Clamshell, 0.8 - 6m 45 36 - 270m Soil deep below (even N/A (was not in
grab vertical) picked up the Rawlinsons
Australian
construction
kensdiecastconstructionmodels.com handbook 2010)
3 3
Dragline 0.3 - 3m 55 16 - 165m Coal Mines N/A (was not in
the Rawlinsons
Australian
www.nkmz.com
construction
handbook 2010)

Summary: For the site and its contours as the basement will be dug from the east to the west the best fixed
excavator would be the shovel face.

• Moving:

Picture Depth Distance Action Price

Bulldozer 400mm 100m Moving top soil and spreading the N/A (was not in the
earth, flattening the land Rawlinsons Australian
construction handbook
2010)

classroomclipart.com
Loader 1000mm 200m Shallow excavation, slope excavation, N/A (was not in the
loading material to transport system Rawlinsons Australian
construction handbook
2010)
coalcliff.com
Scrapers 150 – 3000m Collecting material, hauling it and N/A (was not in the
300mm discharging it, usually used in road Rawlinsons Australian
construction. construction handbook
2010)
fhwa.dot.gov

Summary: as the site is not very big the scraper is not useful, a combination of the loader and bulldozer would
be the best was to move the material and load it onto the transport system.
 • Transport System:

Transport Picture Distance Suited Conditions Price

Systems
Dump trucks 0.8km – 10km Close proximity removal, N/A (was not in the
small to medium sized jobs Rawlinsons
Australian
construction
handbook 2010)
elph.com.au
Conveyor 1km – 5km Medium proximity N/A (was not in the
removal, large sized jobs Rawlinsons
high longevity Australian
construction
handbook 2010)
motorsandbearingsconcept.com
Rail 5km – 100km Far proximity removal, N/A (was not in the
huge sized jobs, higher Rawlinsons
longevity Australian
construction
handbook 2010)

northernrockiesrisingtide.files.wordpress.com/

Summary: as the location is unknown, there is no way to find out where the closest place is to relocate the soil,
but just from the site plan the location is built up so the use of a conveyor belt is not the way to go. A
combination of a dump truck and rail may need to be used if the relocating area is far away. But if close the
use of only a dump truck would be a better option.
 • Excavation lateral support system:

Method Picture Description Advantage Disadvantage Suitability Price

Sheet pile: Interlocking prefabricated Light weight, Boulder Harbour quays, $54,750
permanent steel piles that form a wall adaptable, high obstruction, restriction of
that is continuous and resistance to vibration, water acting as a
permanent tensile stresses noise cofferdam
Sheet pile: Interlocking prefabricated Can be reused, pollution, Temporary $41,000
Temporary steel piles that form a adaptable water restriction of
temporary wall seepage, cost, water (cofferdam)
professional to allow a
needed. basement
construction,
geelongadvertiser.com.au piers and houses
that have a high
water table
Soldier pile Vertical steel H sections Low cost, fast Susceptible to Most suitable N/A (was not
with horizontal timber and easy to the when the wall is in the
lagging that sit in-between construct movement of above the water Rawlinsons
or behind ground. table, with free Australian
draining soils. construction
merelaconsultants.com handbook
2010)
Bored pile: Soldier piles that are Stiff walls, good Slow, vertical Soldier piles are $8,200
continuous repeated to create a wall in confined site joinery is used mainly as
Bored pile: Continuous bore piles that space, minimal difficult, low they are cheap $14,300
tangent meet at their tangential vibration, low reinforcement and don’t disturb
axis noise, flexible the surroundings
sbe.napier.ac.uk
Bored Pile: Continuous bore piles that plan, avoids as much as other $21,000
interlocking have in their gap excessive walls
secondary piles that are excavation, can
unreinforced weak be used as
concrete mix footings
Bored pile: Continuous bore piles $23,700
secant where the primary piles
are the unreinforced piles
and the secondary piles
are reinforced
Diaphragm A trench that is filled with Impermeable, Expensive, Good for water $69,000
slurry to prevent a can be used as large area tight needing
collapse when reaching its the facade, needed areas, top down
depth reinforcement is flexible, little construction,
lowered and the concrete noise, deep used in very
displaces the slurry work, lack of unstable soils
joints, can be
used as footings

itm-ltd.com
Soil Nailing Inserting near horizontal Cheap, light Soil loss, only Stabilize slopes or N/A (was not
steel bars into ground and machinery, little for shallow excavations. in the
grouting over to stabilise noise, less rigid depths Rawlinsons
the soil layout needed Australian
construction
handbook
coastalcaisson.com 2010)
 Summary of Excavation lateral support systems:

Sheet pile: Sheet pile: Soldier Bored pile: Bored pile: Bored Pile: Bored pile: Diaphragm Soil
permanent temporary pile contiguous tangent interlocking secant Nailing
Permanent x x x x x x
structural
concrete wall
formed in one
operation ahead
of excavation
Substantially x x
watertight wall
preventing draw
down to
groundwater
Ability to deal x x x x x x
with obstructions
economically
Vertically better x x x x x x x x
than 1:200 with
little overbreak
Lack of x
vibration/noise
Temporary gaps x x
left in wall to
allow service
diversions
Vertical loads can x x x x x
be permanently
carried

Summary: Due to the soil, the usefulness of how close it can get to the boundary and the use of it as a wall
after excavation the diaphragm wall will be used. The diaphragm wall is also long lasting and therefore
sustainable compared to the other methods that have to be replaced and fixed

• Ground Water Control: As the basement will not go deeper than 12.3 m there is no need to use any
water pump during excavation.

Summary: There is no need for ground water control during the excavation due to the depth of the building
not exceeding the water table.
 • Foundation Construction method:

Shallow foundation

Method Picture Description Advantage Disadvantage Application price

Pad A footing remote to broaden Cheap, easy, Not good in Hard soils, inert N/A (was not in
a load. simple, little weak soils. Or soils the Rawlinsons
materials used reactive soils Australian
construction
handbook 2010)
2.bp.blogspot.com
Strip A footing that goes around Strongest Not good on Medium soils to (un
the perimeter of the ground shallow highly reactive hard soils reinforced)
in a longitudinal direction foundation, can soils, more 248 cum
where the load is. be changed for complicated (reinforced)
the different than the pad
lh5.ggpht.com 251cum
soils footing
Raft A single slab is poured with Lightweight, Complicated Medium to 240 cum
the reinforcement and both slab and compared to the hard soils
footings all ready. foundation pad footing, a
created at once lot of time in
making it very preparation has
moladi.com
strong to take place

Summary: Strip footings will be used as they are the strongest shallow footings, with the depth of the footings
calculated by the engineer. As they are the strongest they will not need to be fixed or replaced and because of
that it is quite sustainable. They will also be reinforced.

Deep footings

Method Picture Description Advantage Disadvantage Application

Piled (bedrock) The pile reaches Most solid Sometimes may Soft, reactive clays
solid bedrock and foundation possible need to go very and soils
can put all the deep to uncover
weight on the bedrock
bedrock.
www.pile-
driving.com
Piled (Friction) The pile does not Strongest Complicated, many Soft, reactive clays
reach any ground foundation in calculations need to and soils with no
and has to use the locations without be done and a lot of bedrock
friction around to bedrock testing on the soil
allow the building to needed to ensure
stand. the footings will
hold
bored-
piles.com
Caissons Hollowed hole More quiet than the Time taken to make Soft, reactive clays
where concrete can other two deep and soils, where
be poured into footings. heavy machinery
cannot be used

kshitija.files.wordpress.com
Summary: There is no need for deep footing as the soil below is quite stable.
 • Basement construction method:

Method Open-cut Vertical cut Top-down

Picture

simplex-foundations.co.uk
brhgarver.com

personal.cityu.edu.hk/~bswmwong/pl.html
Size of site Very large open site Small sized open site Large sized site
Site environment Unobstructed Adaptable to most environments Adaptable to most complex
environments
Protection Simplest protection Complex lateral support Limited shoring support where
required required
Special provision Not much Not much Temporary vertical
Soil removal Using ramp Staged platform or ramp Vertical shaft bucket or bucket

Summary: Due to the use of the diaphragm wall, there are two choices, the vertical cut or the top down. The
vertical cut is more suited for the site and will therefore be used as it is not a big site.

• Slab

Type Picture Description Strength Price

Concrete (in situ) 150mm thick, poured The strength can change 161.00 sqm
concrete into a mould with the additives used
and the reinforcement
used. For such a site no
real additives need to be
used as there are no
large stresses upon the
undergroundconstruction.ie slab. But normal
Precast Concrete 150mm thick, concrete additives like super 100-120 sqm
that is set off site and plasticizers to allow for
relocated to site. higher workability
concrete and pozzolans
that increase the
strength of the concrete
will be used to help with
www.megaprefab.com
strength and curing time

Summary: Both ways of creating a slab are strong, but because there are retaining walls that the slab has to fit
into, in situ concrete will be used as it can chemically bond to the diaphragm wall making everything
increasingly stronger.
 • Waterproofing

Type Picture Description Advantage Disadvantage Price

2
Liquid membrane A polymer liquid Good for complex Cannot be used 38m
that is painted on to structures under the slab
form an
impermeable barrier
img.alibaba.com
2
Bituminous paint A liquid that is Good for complex Cannot be used 12.4m
painted on to form structures under the slab
an impermeable
barrier

www.larsenbuildingproducts.com
2
Styrofoam A solid polymer that Can be used under Not as useful as the 22.4m
is solid and rigid that the slab other waterproof
forms an membranes in
impermeable barrier complex situations

www.tru-guardwaterproofing.com
2
Polymer membrane A polymer that is Can be used for Time taken to set up 28.2m
solid but not rigid complex structures. can take some time.
that forms an Can be used under
impermeable barrier the slab.

imghost1.indiamart.com

Summary: As the slab is in situ the use of a polymer membrane or a Styrofoam membrane is the most useful as
it can cover under the concrete. The polymer membrane will be used as it is better in difficult situations. It also
doesn’t have to be replaced unlike the bituminous paint so it will last a long time making it more sustainable.
 • Drainage

Type Picture Description Advantage Disadvantage Price

2
Tanking Creating an Water table can be Needs a pump, 12-38m
impermeable above the makes noise
barrier that doesn’t basement floor
allow water in but if
water does come in
it gets pumped out

www.gundle.co.za
Cavity drainage Drainage that Un noticeable gaps Water table has to N/A (was not in the
allows a gap in the be below basement Rawlinsons
membrane to a Has to have a Australian
drainage channel. flooring unit above construction
the concrete, where handbook 2010)
the car park won’t
need it
oxfordbasements.co.uk
Exterior foundation Drainage that uses Most effective way Water table has to N/A (was not in the
drain an exterior system of draining, that is be below basement Rawlinsons
to drain away quick Australian
construction
handbook 2010)
www.wvdhsem.gov

Summary: The use of the exterior foundation drain will be installed as the water table is 11m lower than the
lowest point of the basement. The exterior foundation drain is also the quickest diffuse way of relocating
water.
 • Columns

Type Picture Description Strength Price

Reinforced Concrete 200mm in diameter, with rebar Very strong 201.00 sqm
(in situ) reinforcement.

www.betoonelement.ee
Reinforced Precast 300X300 cast off site and Very strong 490.00 sqm
Concrete delivered ready to lock into
place

www.emarateurope.ae
Steel 150X150 cast offsite, Medium 247.00 sqm
lightweight yet has no great
compressive strength

www.brisbanehouseraising.com.au
Timber Oregon wood 100X100. Not Weak 35.80 sqm
long lasting compared to the
concrete

thepostandbeam.files.wordpress.com
Brickwork 350X230 although a strong Strong 57.70 sqm
column it takes a long time to
make.

img.archiexpo.com

Summary: Concrete will be used as columns in this building being long lasting, as the timber and steel do
corrode over time and the brickwork takes too long to make. The reason for in situ concrete is it can
chemically join to the base plate making it a stronger bond
 • Suspended slab

Type Picture Description Strength Price

Concrete (in situ) 150mm thick, poured
concrete into a mould
undergroundconstruction.ie
Precast Concrete 150mm thick, concrete
that is set off site and
relocated to site.
www.megaprefab.com
The strength can change 161.00 sqm
with the additives used
and the reinforcement
used. For such a site no
real additives need to be
used as there are no
large stresses upon the
slab. But normal
additives like super 100-120 sqm
plasticizers to allow for
higher workability
concrete and pozzolans
that increase the
strength of the concrete
will be used to help with
strength and curing time.

Summary: Precast concrete will be used as it will be easier to install and it is a lot easier for the precast
concrete to be designed to create a waffle design making the slab lighter.
Cost Analysis:

Area of cost Product Unit Price per Amount of Price Cumulative

unit products price
Earth moving: Tree >500mm Per tree $162 3 $496 $496
clearing the Tree Per tree $162 6 $992 $1488
site 1000>500mm
2 2
Retaining wall Diaphragm wall Per m $420 165.1m $69000 $70488
2 3
Soil Excavation of soil Per m $65.4 14,911m $975,179 $1,045,667
excavation for basement
2 2
Footing Strip footings Per m $248 570m $141,360 $1,187,027
2 2
Waterproofing Polymer Per m $28.2 2,900 m $81,780 $1,268,807
membrane
Drainage Exterior N/A N/A N/A N/A
Foundation Drain
2 2
Slab In situ Reinforced Per m $161 2,900m $466,900 $1,735,707
concrete
2 2
Columns Reinforced in situ Per m $201 2,900m $609,000 $2,344,707
concrete
2 2
Suspended Precast Per m $120 2,900m $348,000 $2,692,707
Slab reinforced waffle
designed slab
 Pictorial Explanation:

Process Description Perspective Plan

1. Analysis Entrance, exit, site
size, orientation

2. Retaining Install guide wall,

wall excavate trench,
install rebar,
check verticality,
pour concrete

3. Excavation Vertically cutting

the soil to open
up the site
4. Set up Set up and install
footings, install
waterproof
membrane,
drainage installed
and rebar

5. Ground Slab Pouring the slab

onto set up

6. Columns Set up and

pouring columns
into place
7. Suspended Crane suspended
Slab precast slabs onto
the allocated
points.
Conclusion:

A diaphragm wall will be set up and the site will be open cut by shovel faces and backhoes then bulldozers will
flatten it out. It is still unknown how or where the soil will be transported but will most likely be done by a
dump truck. There is no need for ground water control due to the low water table and the footings will be strip
due to their strength and ability to work around the site. The slab will be in situ concrete with additives like
pozzolans and super plasticizers to increase strength and for higher workability. To waterproof the basement a
polymer membrane will be below the slab, with the retaining wall also being impermeable. Yet if any water
does come in exterior fountain drains will allow the water to go into the ground as the water table is quite low.
In situ concrete columns will hold up the precast concrete slabs that are suspended and will be the base of the
ground floor that is two metres below the highway to diffuse the sound.
Bibliography:

Book:

• Rawlinson's Australian construction handbook, Perth, W.A. 2010: House Publishing

• Frederick S. Merritt, Jonathan T. Ricketts Building design and construction handbook, USA, 1994:
McGraw-Hill Professional Publi

• R.A. Johnson Water-resisting basement construction - A Guide: Safeguarding New And Existing
Basements Against Water And Dampness , Great Brittan, 1995: Construction Industry Research and
Information Association

• Barry, R. (2001) The Construction of Buildings (Vol 4), 5th Edition, Blackwell Scientific Publications.

Internet:

• http://www.basementconstruction.com.au/Retention%20Systems.html

• http://www.dincelconstructionsystem.com/documents/BasementConstruction.pdf

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basement

Lectures:

• Dr. Patrick Tang Lecture 1: Introduction to the course 9/3/10

• Dr. Patrick Tang Lecture 2: Basement Construction 16/3/10

• Dr. Patrick Tang Lecture 3: Foundation Construction 23/3/10

• Dr. Patrick Tang Lecture 4: Specification and Cost Estimation 30/3/10

• Dr. Patrick Tang Lecture 5: Concrete Technology 1 6/4/10