Underpinning

Underpinning
• The main objective of underpinning is to transfer
the load carried by an existing foundation from its
present bearing level to a new level at a lower
depth.
• Underpinning may be necessary when defective
foundation of a building is to be replaced with new
foundation or when existing foundation of building
is required to be strengthened to enable it to carry
more loads
 Underpinning
1. As a remedy for
• Uneven loading
• Unequal resistance of the subsoil
• Action of tree roots
• Action of subsoil water
• Cohesive soil settlement
• Deterioration of foundation concrete
 Underpinning
2. To increase the load bearing capacity of a
foundation, which may be required to enable an extra
storey to be added to the existing structure or if a
change of use would increase the imposed loadings
3. As a preliminary operation to lowering the adjacent
ground level when constructing a basement at a
lower than the existing foundations of the adjoining
structure
4. When laying deep services near to or below the
existing foundations
 Site Survey and Preliminary Works
• Notice to be served to the adjoining owners
• Detailed survey of the building recording defects etc.
• Visual indicators to be fixed in the defects
• Check levels to be taken
• Permission to be obtained from the adjoining owner
• Investigation of the subsoil to be carried out if
underpinning is required to counteract unacceptable
settlement
• Loading on the structure should be reduced
 Wall Underpinning-Underpinning Schedule

- Work should be carried out in sections in such a

sequence that unsupported lengths of existing
foundation over excavated sections are equally
distributed along the length of the wall being
underpinned
- The maximum length for bays used in the
underpinning is 1.5 m
- Total length of the unsupported walls should
not be greater than 25% of total wall length
Underpinning Schedule
 Wall Underpinning
• By excavating in stages alongside and underneath the
existing foundation, casting a new foundation, building
up to the underside of the existing foundation in
brickwork or concrete and finally pinning between the
old and the new work with a rich dry mortar
• Number and length of bays will depend on the
following factors:
-Total length of wall to be underpinned
-Width &estimated spanning ability of existing foundation
-General condition of existing substructure
-Superimposed load, subsoil conditions
 Wall Underpinning

• Strip continuity is given by inserting dowel

bars at the end of each bay
• Brick and concrete block underpinning is
toothed at each end to enable the bonding
• Brickwork in CM 1:3, Concrete 1:2:4 mix
with 20 mm aggregate with RHC
Wall Underpinning
 Pretest Underpinning
• Similar to traditional method but requires an
additional operation – consolidating the soil under
the new foundation before the load from the
underpinning is applied thus preventing further
settlement
• A hydraulic jack supporting a short beam is placed in
the centre of the section under the existing
foundation
• Jack is then extended to give a predetermined load
on new foundation thus pretesting the soil beneath
 Pretest Underpinning
• Process repeated along the length
• Underpinning is then carried out using
brickwork or concrete
• Jacks are later removed
• It may be necessary to adjust the jacking
loads as work proceeds, and extensometers
or strain gauges should be used
Pretest Underpinning
 Jack or Miga Pile Underpinning
Used when
• Depth of suitable BC subsoil is too deep
• A system giving no vibration is required
• Variable depth of pile is required to suit
subsoil conditions
• The existing foundation is structurally
sound
 Jack or Miga Pile Underpinning
• Short precast pile lengths jacked into ground until
a suitable subsoil is reached
• When the pile has reached the required depth,
space b/w the top and underside of the existing
foundation filled with a pinned concrete cap
• Possible only when existing foundation is
structurally sound because it has to act as a beam
spanning over the piles when the whole work is
completed
Jack or Miga Pile Underpinning
 Needle and Pile Underpinning
• If wall to be underpinned has a weak
foundation
• Uses pairs of jacks or bore piles in
conjunction with in-situ RCC beam or
needle placed above the existing foundation
• If water is encountered, pressure piles can
be used
Needle and Pile Underpinning
 Needle and Pile Underpinning
• The piles can be on either side of the wall
or can be staggered on each side of the wall
• This reduces the number of piles required,
although each will take a greater load, and
of lengthening the beams
• Work can be done from inside or outside of
the building [cantilever capping beams
projecting under the wall]
Needle and Pile Underpinning
 Ground Injection
• Injection of the ground with cement or chemicals
to fill voids or to permeate and strengthen the
ground
• Cement grouting is useful to fill voids in the
ground beneath foundations
• Chemical used for coarse sand to produce a wall
or block of consolidated ground beneath the
foundations to the desired level for underpinning
• Starts at ground level, no shoring required and the
wall of the considered ground acts as a retaining
wall when excavation is done to existing
foundation
Ground Injection
 Column Underpinning
• Structural steel or RCC columns to be
relieved of their loads
• A collar of steel or precast concrete
members fixed around the perimeter
• Column loading is transferred from the
collar to cross beams or needles which in
turn transmits the loads to ground at a safe
distance from underpinning
Column Underpinning
Underpinning the foundations of a railway bridge. A
completed concrete pad underpinning can be seen at the
bottom right. North Australian Railway, 1974
Underpinning an house