7/8/2014

Foundations

CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY 1
UTAR FES - Department of Architecture and Sustainable Development
Lecturer Fernando Andrade

BUILDING SUBSTRUCTURE
FOUNDATIONS

Updated:: FA | 2014.07
Updated
By FA | 4 / 75

Learning objectives
Cleaning and excavation of trenches
After studying this topic you should be able
to:
• Distinguish between the various
foundation options available in low-
low-rise
construction.
• Appreciate the functional requirements of
foundations, and
• implications of soil type on their selection.
• Evaluate suitable foundation type for
different scenarios & respond to by-
by-laws
requirements.
By FA | 2 / 75

Main Resources
Trench for a Pad foundation, cohesive soil
allows for vertical sides with no support.
Riley, M. Construction Technology 1:
•
House construction.
construction. Macmillan – Ch. 4.1.

Complementary:
•Ching
Ching,, D.K., Building construction
illustrated.. Wiley – Ch. 3.
illustrated

By FA | 3 / 75

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Pad foundation in reinforced concrete
(reinforced with steel bars)
Wood formwork for Pad foundation
Reinforced concrete (RC) pad foundation
completed.
Reinforcement of column (of structural
frame).
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Reinforced concrete (RC) column
Foundations
Main topics for today:
A. Function of foundations.
B. Types of Soil (and its effect on
foundations).
C. Selection of foundations.
D. Types of foundations.
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A. Function of foundations.
Every building must have a foundation of
some kind.
The function of a foundation is to
effectively and safely transfer a building
loads to the g
ground, while p
ground, preventing g
overstressing the soil (loadbearing).
Foundation design is a specialized field
that must account for the interaction of
building loads with the various soil,
soil, rock,
rock,
and water conditions encountered below
the surface of the ground.
By FA | 12 / 75
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A. Function of foundations.
Some of the loads that act on buildings, and
opposite forces from ground
In: Allen, Edward, Joseph Iano. Fundamentals of Building
Construction: Materials and Methods. John Wiley & Sons
A. Function of foundations.
Under any combination of possible load
scenarios:
• the foundation must transmit the forces
acting upon the building (loads) into the
ground.
• and the ground must react with equal and
opposite forces so that the building
remains stable.
A. Function of foundations.
7/8/2014
A. Function of foundations.
• Dead load,
load, the combined weight of all the
permanent components of the building,
including its own structural frame, floors,
roofs, and walls, major permanent
electrical and mechanical equipment, and
the foundation itself.
• Live loads,
loads, nonpermanent loads caused
by the weights of the building’s
occupants, furnishings, and movable
equipment.
• Other loads:
loads: seismic, wind, snow, rain
etc.
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A. Function of foundations.
Foundations must limit settlement:
• All foundations suffer initial settlement
settlement::
 as the earth (under and surrounding)
compresses and adjusts to the loads
imposed by the building above.
• Over the life of the building,
building settlement
must not exceed amounts that would
cause structural distress, damage to
nonstructural components, or interfere
with building functions.
By FA | 14 / 75 By FA | 17 / 75
A. Function of foundations.
If foundation load exceeds maximum
passive pressure of ground (i.e. bearing
capacity) a downward movement of the
foundation could occur: settlement
settlement..
Remedies:
• Increase plan size of foundation.
foundation
• Reduce the foundation loadings.
• Increase depth to reach a more solid soil.
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A. Function of foundations. Uniform Building By-Laws

• Uniform settlement - where settling b) be taken down to such a depth, or be so

occurs at roughly the same rate constructed, as to safe guard the
throughout all parts of a building. building against damage by swelling and
• Differential settlement - when different shrinking of the subsoil
subsoil;; and
parts of a building settle at differing c) be capable of adequately resisting any
rates: attack byy sulphates
p or anyy other
 likely to occur where soil types, building deleterious matter present in the
loads, or structural systems vary subsoil.
among different parts of a building.
 can lead to distortion of the structural
frame, cracked walls and glass, or
inoperable doors and windows.
By FA | 19 / 75 By FA | 22 / 75

A. Function of foundations.
Uniform and differential settlement
In: Allen, Edward, Joseph Iano. Fundamentals of Building
Construction: Materials and Methods. John Wiley & Sons
B. Types of Soil (and its effect on foundations)
Soil must provide an appropriate
supporting medium for foundations.
foundations.
The design of foundations depend on:
• The structure of the building (the way
loads are delivered to the foundation).
)
• The characteristic of the soil:
soil:
1. Loadbearing strength.
2. Cohesion.
3. Sensitivity to moisture content.
4. Improper soil for construction.
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B. Types of Soil - Loadbearing strength

Uniform Building By
By--Laws
Or bearing capacity:
capacity:
73 (1) The foundations of building shall:
• Mostly dependent on the particle size.
size.
a) Safely sustain and transmit to the
• Generally, the bigger the particles the
ground the combined dead load,
load,
highest the bearing capacity.
imposed load and wind load in such a
manner not to caused any settlement • A well graded soil includes a broad,
beyond the limits designed for, or other well--distributed range of particle sizes.
well sizes.
movement which would impair the • There are 5 main categories of soil
stability of, or cause damage to, the adequate for construction:
whole or any part of the building or of Rock Gravel Sand Silt Clay
any adjoining building or works; Bearing capacity >800 Up to Up to Up to 75 75 to
(kN/m2) 600 300 300
Particle range >20 2 to 20 0.06 to 2 0.002 to <0.002
(mm) 0.06
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B. Types of Soil - Loadbearing strength B. Types of Soil - cohesion

Consolidated rock or bedrock is a dense, Coarse--grained soils are

Coarse
continuous mass of mineral materials frictional or cohesionless
• can be removed only by drilling, soils::
soils
fracturing, or blasting. • Need to be compacted
• is generally the strongest and most stable and laterally contained.
material on which a building can be • Have greater strength
founded. and support higher loads
Gravel and sand are also collectively than fine-
fine-grained.
referred to as coarse-
coarse-grained soils
soils.. Fine--grained soils (eg.
Fine eg.
Silts and clays are also referred to as fine-
fine- Clay) tend to stick
grained soils
soils.. together, characterized as
cohesive..
cohesive
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B. Types of Soil B. Types of Soil - Sensitivity to moisture content

Consolidate • Water
Water--saturated sands or silts may lose
rock (or virtually all of their strength and behave
bedrock) as a liquid.
excavation • Wet sand responds more firmly to the
pressure of our feet as we walk on the
beach than does dry y sand. Dryy sand has
less cohesion.
• Unique properties of clay soils (size and
chemical) tend to cause water to pass
through them very slowly, or in some
cases not at all.
• Water does not affect rock and gravel.
gravel.
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B. Types of Soil B. Types of Soil - Sensitivity to moisture content

Coarse--grained soil -
Coarse Coarse-grained soil
Coarse- Soil texture and associated permeability:
Gravelly Sand on – Sandy Gravel
• Coarse
Coarse--grained soils have large pore sizes
bottom..
bottom
Sandy clay (and peat) (air gaps) between soil particles, allowing
on top layer
layer.. water to pass quickly.
quickly.
• Small particles fill the gaps and soil
becomes more compacted (less
Fine--grained soil - Clay
Fine
permeable).

Loam: A rich soil

Loam:
consisting of a
mixture of sand and
clay and decaying
organic materials
materials..
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B. Types of Soil – Improper soil for construction C. Selection of foundations - Criteria

Organic soil or peats, & made soil:

soil: • Ground level and gradients
• Unstable soil  Great varieties in levels affect the

• With organic matter ((top

top soil
soil).
). foundation design (sloped sites).
 May need to step the foundation along
Contaminated ground:
ground:
the slope.
• That poses a risk to human health.
• Aggressive substances to the materials
used in construction.
Main treatments:
• Removal of the contaminated material.
• Apply an impermeable layer on top.
• Biological remediation to neutralize the
contaminant. By FA | 31 / 75 By FA | 34 / 75

C. Selection of foundations - Criteria

C. Selection of foundations
1- provides a
Performance of foundation is based on the level of
relation between: foundation that
• The loadings from building cuts into the
• And the supporting ground. ground.
The variations on these conditions Lateral load can
determine which solutions can be used. deformation of
walls or structure.
The most economical system will be
2- creates a
selected.
retaining wall to
protect the
building from
lateral load.
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C. Selection of foundations - Criteria C. Selection of foundations - Criteria

1. Related to ground conditions: 3- creates a

• Bearing capacity of the ground. stepped
foundation.
 Ability to carry loads.
Less excavation.
• Depth of good soil composition.
composition.
Lateral load is
 That provides appropriate bearing
minimised.
strength.
t th
 Stable soil.

 Made up soils have great variability of

bearing capacities and composition and
are usually not stable.

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C. Selection of foundations - Criteria D. Types of Foundations

2. Related to loads from the building. Uniform and point loads

• Loadings are affected by a building form
and type.
• Low rise buildings the loadings are
relative modest.
• As loads increase also increase the need
for deeper foundations, where soil is more
highly compacted.

In: Riley, M. Construction Technology 1: House construction.

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D. Types of Foundations
D. Types of Foundations
Shallow foundation form.
form.
Main learning objectives of this section
• Strip foundation.
are:
 Wide strip foundations.
• Understand the nature and function of
 Deep strip foundations.
both shallow and deep foundations in the
context of low-
low-rise construction. • Pad foundations.
• Identify different types of foundation used • Raft foundations.
in low rise and Deep foundations form.
form.
• Evaluate factors that affect their choice. • Piles.
• Be able to compare advantages and  Displacement piles.
disadvantages of each type.  Replacement piles.

 Precast system.

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D. Types of Foundations D. Types of Foundations

General form types:

• Shallow foundation.
foundation.
• Deep foundations.
foundations.
The structure of building dictates the type
of foundation:
• Uniform
f load
l d – ideal
d l ffor lloadbearing
db walls.
ll
• Point load – usually with (loadbearing)
columns and structural frame.

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D. Types of Foundations D. Types of Foundations – Strip foundation details

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D. Types of Foundations – Strip foundation details D. Types of Foundations – Wide strip foundations

Foundation design to avoid shear failure When

• Never extending outside zone of foundation
downward loading. width need
increase to
reduce
pressure on
the soil.
soil.

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D. Types of Foundations – Strip foundation details D. Types of Foundations – Deep strip foundations

In low rise construction, and with good Used in cohesive soils

soil, foundation can be at 1 m deep.
• Weaker or unstable soils may demand
deeper or wider foundations.
soils.. The foundation trench is
excavated to the required depth without the need
for temporary support
support,, and concrete is placed
almost to ground level, avoiding bricklaying in the
trench,, saving costs.
trench

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D. Types of Foundations – Deep strip foundations D. Types of Foundations – Pad foundations

A pad foundation can be continuous and

carry load of several columns.

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D. Types of Foundations – Pad foundations D. Types of Foundations – Raft foundations

Usually used in building that employ a Is a continuous slab extending beneath the
structural frame (in RC, steel or wood) whole building.
building.
instead of loadbearing walls. • Formed in RC.
• Because walls are on the perimeter there
is a concentration of loads that require a
higher thickness.
thickness
• Ideal for weak or unstable soils, like made
up soils or clay soils,
• or light load construction (wood or metal
structure).

By FA | 50 / 75 By FA | 53 / 75

D. Types of Foundations – Pad foundations D. Types of Foundations – Raft foundations details

Ideal shape
for the base is
square.
Column is
centrally
placed.
Area off base
b
is calculated
so that unit
load does not
exceed
bearing
capacity of
soil.
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D. Types of Foundations – Raft foundations details D. Types of Foundations – Piles

Deep foundation is not the most common

in low rise construction due to the low
building loads and cost of pile system.
system.
• But are necessary if ground quality close
to surface (1 m deep) is poor ((eg
eg clay) or
variable (made
(made up soil).
soil).
• Usually used in clay soils that have
intense lateral and upward movements
(shrinkage and swelling can amount to 50
to 100mm movement on foundations).

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D. Types of Foundations – Raft foundations details D. Types of Foundations – Piles

Comparing
load forces
between
strip and
pile
foundation.

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D. Types of Foundations – Raft foundations details D. Types of Foundations – Pile caps

Slab and When piles are

Beam subject to loads that
foundation exceed the capacity
with of 1 pile (eg
eg.. point
suspended loads),
loads ), they are
slab.
Ground arranged in groups
floor slab is using pile caps
caps..
not in Pile caps also provide
contact with
soil a more leveled
avoiding platform to safely
moisture transmit the loads
penetration
from building
(void).
Extracted from: Construction Technology 1 -
structure to piles.
By FA | 57 / 75 HOUSE CONSTRUCTION By FA | 60 / 75

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D. Types of Foundations – Piles ground beam D. Types of Foundations – Displacement piles

Provides a Displacement piles:

piles:
support for • Hollow steel shell or casing driven into the
uniformly ground, using a percussive rig (machine).
distribute loads
 Concrete is poured in
in--situ.
from external
bearing walls, • Solid precast piles driven into the ground.
and especially  of
f the
th required
i d length.
l th
when building  using short precast piles connected as

applies point the work develops.

loads (structural • Noise and vibrations can affect nearby
frame with buildings.
columns).

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D. Types of Foundations – Piles ground beam & caps D. Types of Foundations – Displacement piles
By extending the ground
beam between piles there
is an Uniformly
Distributed Load (UDL)
from building fabric.
Soils that have the risk of
swelling (eg
(eg clay),
clay) may IIn-situ
In- it piles
il (left)
(l ft)
cause gr. beam to be and pre-
pre-cast
uplifted (50 to 100mm). concrete piles
Need to install a (picture) before
compressible layer (eg.
eg. being driven into
expanded polystyrene ground.
EPS) or uplift beam and
caps..
caps
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D. Types of Foundations – Short bored piles D. Types of Foundations – Replacement piles

Refers to Replacement pile
pile::
the • Are installed by removing the soil and
comparativ
replacing it with a load-
load-supporting pile
pile..
ely short
length of • Has 2 main methods:
the piles  Hollow weighted grab
(2
(2--4m) as • that is repeatedly dropped and raised
compared removing soil.
to the much
• Concrete is poured into excavation.
longer piles
used for • Causes trepidation and noise to
larger surrounding buildings.
buildings.

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D. Types of Foundations – Replacement piles D. Types of Foundations – Piles precast

 Continuous flight auger (CFA).

(CFA).
• Auger is screwed into the ground
(rotary driling
driling)) until desired level.
• Concrete is poured into the ground as
auger is withdrawn.
• There is no vibration or hammering. g
• It is the most efficient pile foundation
system,
 quicker and quieter,

 adaptable to different depths without

need to trim piles etc.

By FA | 67 / 75
Extracted from: Construction Technology 1 - HOUSE CONSTRUCTION By FA | 70 / 75

D. Types of Foundations – Replacement piles CFA D. Types of Foundations – Piles precast

Outer leaf wall

Extracted from: Construction Technology 1 - HOUSE CONSTRUCTION By FA | 68 / 75

Extracted from: Construction Technology 1 - HOUSE CONSTRUCTION By FA | 71 / 75

D. Types of Foundations – Piles precast

Comparative study
Precast system:
system:
• This are made of precast:
 piles or piers, pile caps or reinforced
concrete ground beams.
• Piles are placed inin--situ according to house
walls layout.
layout
• Use of precast accelerates construction
process, eliminating time required for
concrete to cure (up to 30 days).
• Reduces excavation and concrete works,
waste and dust on site.

By FA | 69 / 75
Extracted from: Construction Technology 1 - HOUSE CONSTRUCTION By FA | 72 / 75

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Terminology
Backfill.
• in sitework,
sitework, earth replaced and compacted into
an excavation to cover subsoil foundations and
services once they have been laid.
Bearing (loading) capacity.
• the
h amount off force,
f pressure, weight
h or stress
that a material, soil, foundations or a structure
can safely withstand without failure.
Made up ground.
• Soil used to fill a depression in ground or raise
ground level.

By FA | 73 / 75

Terminology
Settlement.
• the movement of a building downwards soon
after construction as ground material
underneath is compressed.
• Imposed load →soil deformation
• Seasonal conditions →volume changes
• Unstable area →mass movement of the ground
Settlement damage.
• problems of cracking, structural damage and
doors and windows that don’t open, caused by
the differential settlement of a building after
construction.

By FA | 74 / 75

That is all for today!

"We must never trust too hastily to any

ground. . . . I have seen a tower at Mestre,
Mestre,
a place belonging to the Venetians (Italy),
which in a few years after it was built
which, built,
made its way through the ground it stood
upon . . . and buried itself in earth up to
the very battlements.

Leon Battista Alberti,

Alberti, Ten Books on
Architecture, 1452.
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