Unity University

Department of Civil Engineering

Foundation Engineering-I

By: Feysel N.
(MSc-Geotechnical Engineering & Geo-hazard)

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 Chapter-2
Foundation Types & Their Selection

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• Every structure consists of two basic Components:
– The super structure and
– The sub-structure (Foundation).
• The lowest artificially built part of a structure which
transmits the load of the structure to the ground is called
foundation.
• The foundation of a structure is always constructed below
ground level to increase the lateral stability of the structure.
• The basic function of foundation is to transmit the load
from the superstructure to the soil, on which the structure
rests, in such a way that:
– The soil does not fail by the shear failure criterion.
– Settlements are with in permissible limits, without causing
cracks in the super structure. 3
Foundations are used for the following purposes.
1. To distribute the load of the structure over a large
bearing area so as to bring intensity of loading within
the safe bearing capacity of the soil lying underneath.
2. To distribute the non-uniform load of the
superstructure evenly to the sub soil so as to prevent
unequal settlement.
3. It anchors the superstructure to the ground, thus
imparting lateral stability to the super structure.
4. To provide structural safety against undermining
(scouring) due to burrowing animals and flood water.
5. To secure a level and firm bed for building
operations.
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 TYPES OF FOUNDATIONS
• Foundations can be broadly classified into two categories
1) Shallow foundations (Df ≤ B)
2) Deep foundations (Df >> B)
1) SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS
•They are provided immediately beneath the lowest part
of the structure, near to the ground level.
•They distribute the structural loads over a considerable
base area at the foundation bed.
•Since shallow foundations are constructed in open
excavations, they are also termed as open foundations.

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• Shallow foundations are further classified into the
following types: -
A) Spread or Isolated footings
B) Combined footing
C) Strap or Cantilever footing
D) Continuous (wall or Strip) footing
E) Raft (Mat) foundation

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 A) Isolated or Spread Footings
• They are used to support individual column.
• They are the most common type of foundation, primarily
because of their cost and ease of construction.
• They are constructed of reinforced concrete.
• They are most often used:
– For small to medium size structures,
– At sites with moderate to good soil conditions,
– For some large structures when they are located at
sites underlain by exceptionally good soil or
bedrock at shallow depth.
• They may have square, rectangle or circular shape in plan.
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• They have uniform thickness (simple), stepped, or sloped
top.

Simple isolated footing Stepped isolated footing Sloped isolated footing 8

 B) Combined Footing
• They support two or sometimes three column in a row.
• Combined footing is used when property lines, equipment
locations, column spacing or other considerations limit
the footing clearance at the column locations.
• Combined footings can be
–Rectangular in shape if both the columns carry equal
(nearly equal) loads,
–Trapezoidal if there is a space limitation and they carry
unequal loads.
• They are constructed of reinforced concrete.

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Rectangular Combined footing Trapezoidal Combined footing
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 C) Strap or Cantilever Footing
• They consists of two individual footings connected by a
beam called a strap beam.
• They may be used where the distance between the
columns is so great that a trapezoidal combined footing
becomes quite narrow, with resulting high bending
moments.
• The strap beam, assumed to be infinitely stiff, does not
remain in contact with soil so it doesn’t transfer any
pressure to the soil.

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 12
Cantilever or strap footing
 D) Continuous or Wall or Strip Footing
•It consists of a single continuous reinforced concrete slab
where the width, B, is much less than the length (L).
•They are provided as foundation of load bearing wall.
•They are also provided for a row of columns which are so
closely spaced that, if isolated footings are used they overlap
or nearly touch each other.
•They are suitable at locations liable to earthquake activities.
•They also prevents differential settlement in the structure.

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 14
Continuous or wall or strip footing
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 E) Raft or Mat Foundation
•A Raft or Mat foundation is a special type of a combined
footing that covers the entire area beneath a structure and
supports all the columns.
•Foundation engineers often consider mats when dealing
with any one of the following conditions:
The structural loads are so high or the soil conditions so
poor that spread footings would be extremely large.
As a general rule of thumb, if spread footings would
cover more than 50% of the building footprint area,
a mat or some type of deep foundation will usually be
more economical.
 The soil is very erratic and prone to excessive
differential settlement.
 The structural loads are erratic, and thus increase the
likelihood of excessive differential settlement. 16
 The lateral loads are not uniformly distributed through
the structure and thus may cause differential horizontal
movement in spread footings.
 The uplift loads are larger than spread footings can
accommodate.
 The bottom of the structure is located below ground
water table, so waterproofing is an important concern.
Because mats are monolithic, they are easier to
waterproof.

Flat plate (Solid Mat) Ribbed Mat 17

(a) Flat plate (solid mat) (b) plate thickened under columns (c) waffle-slab (d) plate
with pedestals (e) basement wall as part of mat
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 2) DEEP FOUNDATIONS
•When the upper ground stratum at a site is weak and unable
to carry the load even by a raft foundation, then eventually
shallow foundation has to be ruled out, and a deep
foundation, taken to an available firm stratum, is adopted.
• Deep foundations are, therefore, used
when surface soil is unsuitable for shallow foundation,
and a firm stratum is so deep that it cannot be reached
economically by shallow foundations.
• The most common types of deep foundations are;
» Pile Foundation,
» Pier
» Caisson (well).

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• Pile Foundation: Is a slender structural member
(column) made of steel, concrete (Pre-cast or cast in-situ)
or wood.
 A pile is either driven into the soil or formed in-situ
by excavating a hole and filling it with concrete.
• Pier: A pier is a vertical column of relatively large cross-
section than a pile.
 A pier is installed in a dry area excavating a
cylindrical hole of large diameter to the desired depth
and then backfilling it with concrete.
• Caisson: A caisson is a hollow prismatic concrete box,
which is built off-shore (at docks) and then towed & sunk
to the required depth as a single unit.
 It is a watertight box or chamber used for laying
foundation under water.
 A pier and caisson differ basically only in the method
of construction 20
 GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF FOUNDATION DESIGN
• The usual approach to a normal foundation-engineering
problem is;
1. To prepare a plan of the base of the structure showing the
various columns, load-bearing walls with estimated loads,
including dead load, live load, moments and torques
coming into the foundation units.
2. To study the tentative allowable bearing pressures
allocated for the various strata below the ground level, as
given by the soil investigation report.
3. To determine the required foundation depth. This may be
the minimum depth based on soil strength or structural
requirement considerations. 21
4. To compute the dimensions of the foundation based on
the given loading and allowable bearing pressure.
5. To estimate the total and differential settlements of the
structure. If these are excessive the bearing pressure will
have to be reduced or the foundation taken to a deeper
and less compressible stratum or the structure will have
to be founded on piles or other special measures taken

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 LOADS ON FOUNDATION
• An accurate estimation of all loads acting on the foundation
should be made before it can be properly designed.
• A foundation may be subjected to two or more of the
following loads.
Dead load: It consists of:
- Weight of the structure.
- All materials permanently attached to the structure.
- Static earth pressure acting permanently against the
structure below ground surface.
- Water pressure acting laterally against basement walls and
vertically against slab.

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Live load: - Temporary loads expected to superimpose on
the structure during its useful life time.
Wind load: - lateral load coming from the action of wind.
Local building codes provide magnitude of design wind
pressure.
Earth-quake load: - lateral load coming from earthquake
motion. The total lateral force (base shear) at the base of a
structure is evaluated in accordance with local building
code.
Dynamic load: - load coming from a vibrating object
(machinery). In such case, separate foundation should be
provided. The impact effect of such loads should be
considered in design.
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 SELECTION OF FOUNDATION TYPE
• In selecting the foundation type the following points must
be considered;
• Function of the structure
• Loads it must carry
• Subsurface conditions
• Cost of foundation in comparison with the cost of the
superstructure.
• Having these points in mind one should apply the
following steps in order to arrive at a decision.
I. Obtain at least approximate information concerning the
nature of the superstructure and the loads to be
transmitted to the foundation
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II. Determine the subsurface condition in a general way.
III. Consider each of the usual types of foundations in order
to judge whether;
a. They could be constructed under existing conditions.
b. They are capable of carrying the required load.
c. They experience serious differential settlements.
• The types that are found to be unsuitable should then be
eliminated.
IV. Undertake a detailed study of the most promising type of
foundation. Such a study may require additional
information on loads and subsurface conditions.

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V. Determine the approximate size of footing or the
approximate length and number of piles required
VI. Prepare an estimate for the cost of each promising type
of foundation.
VII.Select the type that represents the most acceptable
compromise between performance and cost.

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