University of Mauritius Faculty of Engineering Civil Engineering Department

Foundation Design to BS8110: Part 1:1997

Lecturer: Mr. SEEBOO Asish

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Axial load
Any building may be divided into two parts, 1 1
namely, superstructure and substructure as shown
B
in figure 1.0.

Plan on base Section 1-1

Ground level Figure 2.0: Pad footing

Basement Combined footing

Foundation
Figure 1.0 Consider two columns, C1 and C2, which are close
to each other and subject to corresponding axial
The ground level may be used as a baseline where loads N1 and N2. From the loads, the respective
any part of the structure above the baseline is bases may be calculated.
termed superstructure and the part below ground
level referred to as substructure. What happen if the pad footings overlap?

NB: The substructure will include basement as well Overlapping of bases should be avoided. The only
as the building foundation. possible solution is to combine the two bases into
one, hence combined footing.
The prime purpose of foundations is to transfer
live and dead loads from buildings down to the A plan and section over a combined base is shown
soil. in figure 2.1 Axial loads, N1 and N2

2.0 TYPES OF FOUNDATION

There exist six different types of foundation or

footing:
- Pad or isolated footing,
- Combined footing, Plan on combined footing Section
- Strip footing,
- Strap footing, Strip footing
- Raft footing and
- Pile foundation. In load-bearing construction, the block walls carry
the loads. When viewed in plan the footing beneath
Pad footing / Isolated footing the walls appears as continuous strips, hence strip
footing.
In Framed constructions, the columns carry the
loads and are sustained on pads. Columns may be A section across the strip is shown in figure 2.2
centrally located over the base or eccentric to the
base.

A plan view as well as a section across the pad

footing is shown in figure 2.0

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University of Mauritius Faculty of Engineering Civil Engineering Department
Foundation Design to BS8110: Part 1:1997
Lecturer: Mr. SEEBOO Asish
Strap beam

Block wall

Strap beam

Figure 2.2
Section 3 3
In general, for residential buildings, the dimensions Figure 2.5: Strap footing
of strip footings are 600mm wide by 200mm deep Raft foundation
& reinforced with 3T10 & T10-250.
When individual columns are subjected to very
Strap footing high axial loads resulting in significantly large
bases (3.5m by 3.5m by 0.7m deep) then it is more
Consider two columns C1 and C2 (figure 2.3). economical to use a raft foundation.

As such, a raft is an inverted flat slab and the

Property limit design principle similar to flat slab design.

C1 C2 A section across a raft foundation is shown in

figure 2.6
Figure 2.3: Plan view

If column C2 is located on the boundary line of the

site and if due to certain reason C2 cannot be
moved, then the base will be eccentric as in figure
2.4 Raft thickness ~ 250mm

Figure 2.6: Raft foundation

2 2
Pile foundation

When the soil strata cannot carry the building load,

then piles are used to transfer the loads to harder
F2 stratum.

NGL

Section 2 -2 M
Figure 2.4
Due to the axial load F2, an overturning moment M
will be witnessed on the base. To withstand the Example: Pile foundation in Mauritius
overturning, a strap beam is provided between
both columns as per figure 2.5 At the new container terminal, the runway of the
giant cranes rests on pile foundations. The steel
3 3 tubular piles are 1200mm in diameter and have an
average thickness of 28mm. Such piles were
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University of Mauritius Faculty of Engineering Civil Engineering Department
Foundation Design to BS8110: Part 1:1997
Lecturer: Mr. SEEBOO Asish
available in units of eleven meters. The bedrock magnesium clay is an expansive soil that expands
layer profile was found to be between 30 65 m in contact with water. The same soil when free of
below mean sea level and was carried out prior to water becomes hard as rock. No structural building
reclamation works. Piles were driven to bedrock should be constructed on such clayey soil. Where
level by means of hydraulic hammer. In order to present it should be removed prior to construction.
achieve lengths of 65m, the piles were arc welded The thickness of the dark magnesium clay layer
and X-rays were taken at each and every joint to varies drastically from one point to another. It has
ensure proper welding. been seen that in some places approximately 5.0m
of dark magnesium clay had to be removed to
3.0 BEARING CAPACITY reach stiff soil.

In general, every soil has a certain resistance to Stiff soil

imposed pressure. The maximum pressure that can
be resisted by a particular soil is known as the safe For any structure, the foundation should rest on a
or allowable bearing capacity. When the soil soil layer with a safe bearing capacity greater than
bearing capacity beneath the building is exceeded, that exerted by the building. In other words,
then settlement will occur. foundations should rest on stiff soil.

Allowable bearing capacity values for some types But how to know whether a soil is stiff or not?
of soils are listed in table 3.0.
There exist two ways by which we can assess the
Rock / Soil Typical bearing value soil bearing capacity, namely: compaction test
(kN/m2) using the Troxler apparatus or by visual
Massive igneous 10000 inspection.
bedrock
Sandstone 2000 4000 Troxler apparatus
Shales & mudstone 600 2000 The Troxler is an electronic device, using gamma
Gravel, sand & gravel 600 rays, which within seconds can output the present
Medium dense sand 100 300 soil compaction. However it needs calibration. In
Loose fine sand Less than 100 fact it requires two parameters, namely: the
Hard clay 300 600 maximum dry density and the optimum moisture
content, both determined from standard
Medium clay 100 - 300
Table 3.0: Allowable bearing capacity
compaction test run on soil sample taken from site.
This is a quite an expensive but precise test.
In Mauritius, the bearing capacity of soil, excluding
bedrock layers, varies between 100 200kPa. Visual inspection
This is a very simple test where one just has to
For stiff soil, the bearing capacity is taken as 150 monitor the rate of water absorption. The faster the
175kPa and in sand 100kPa is used. water is absorbed, the looser the soil hence the
trenches will have to undergo further excavation. A
lower rate of absorption will infer a stiff soil ready
4.0 CONSTRUCTION TIPS
to receive foundations.
Dark magnesium clay Vegetative soil
Vegetative soil is harmful to foundation and should
In the region of Pailles, more precisely at Soreze, be removed. Normally it represents the first 300mm
along the mountain slope, dark magnesium clay is thick soil layer. A very simple way to determine the
present in abundance. The same soil is also found approximate thickness of the layer is to make a trial
at morcellement Carlos and Plantation Marguery in pit and observed the change in colour as one moves
Tamarin along the mountain slope. Dark
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University of Mauritius Faculty of Engineering Civil Engineering Department
Foundation Design to BS8110: Part 1:1997
Lecturer: Mr. SEEBOO Asish
downward. The first significant transition in colour This pressure distribution is
will indicate the limit of the top- soil. specific to sandy soil

Minimum depth of formation

As a rule of thumb, foundation should be located at
about 900 to 1200mm below natural ground level,
which is normally the depth at which stiff soil is In order to rationalize the design, a linear
found in Mauritius. However, it may not always be distribution of soil pressures across the base is
the case. If the underlying stratum is composed of assumed.
rock or weathered rock, then it is useless to go [This assumption is based on the soil acting as on
down by 900mm or 1200mm. In such cases, the elastic material and footing having infinite, which
foundations may be located at ~ 450mm below is not the case.]
ground depending on the thickness of the base.
We use the above assumption, as our foundation
Cover designs are not that sophisticated.
When foundation is cast directly against soil, the
minimum cover shall be 75mm and when cast Important practical tips
against a blinding layer then a 50mm cover should
be utilized. Blinding layer normally varies between What grade of concrete would you use when
50mm to 100mm depending on the soil profile casting blinding layers?
within the trench. But on average it is taken as 25 N/mm2. (Grade 25)
50mm.
What is the minimum depth of foundation you can
Pressure distribution think of?

Depending on the soil type and the stiffness of the Depends on underlying soil type.
structure, there are three different types of the If rock, at surface.
pressure distribution namely, If soil, minimum depth = 900mm

Type 1 What is the minimum concrete grade to be used in

foundations?
Minimum grade of foundation (grade 35)

Uniform pressure distribution

PAD FOOTING

Type 2 PAD Footing may be (1) Square or

(2) Rectangular in plan, why?

For economical reasons. When a base is subject to two

moments acting along the x and y-axes, then
This type of distribution is definitely the base is going to be square in shape.
specific to cohesive soil. However, if the moments are different, then a
rectangular base will be more cost effective.

Type 3 Dispersion of load

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University of Mauritius Faculty of Engineering Civil Engineering Department
Foundation Design to BS8110: Part 1:1997
Lecturer: Mr. SEEBOO Asish
Consider a section across a pad footing subject to
an axial load N

Angle of dispersion may be taken as 450 or 300.

This type of pressure distribution will normally be

observed when a column is subject to axial loads
and centrally located over a base.

Do you think by removing the shaded part of the base Pressure due to axial and moment
will make it more economical?
Trapezoidal pressure distribution
No, because
- Curtailment of bars will be more
difficult and time consuming.
- Formwork will be required to produce
the chamfer.

Assumption

We assume a linear load distribution across the

base. N

Linear distribution
We can expect 3 different types of bearing pressure
distributions when bases are subject to both axial
loads and moments. The axial load and moment
constitute the action and the reaction, according to
Newtons third law of motion, is the pressure
exerted by the soil onto the base. Triangular pressure distribution

Pressure due to axial load only

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University of Mauritius Faculty of Engineering Civil Engineering Department
Foundation Design to BS8110: Part 1:1997
Lecturer: Mr. SEEBOO Asish

From bending theory,

M/I = pressure p/ y
p = My/I
For a base with dimension B and D,
I = BD2/12 and y = D/2
Therefore, p = 6M/BD2

When combining both, p = N/BD 6M/BD2

Triangular pressure p = 2N/BY

Always expect the trapezoidal and triangular
pressure distribution either when there is an axial Neglecting the moment and applying Newtons
load on an eccentric column or when the centrally third law of motion where to every action there is
located column is subject to both an axial load and an equal and opposite reaction.
a moment.
Action will be due to axial load N
Both trapezoidal and triangular pressure
distribution are dependent upon the values of Reaction will be due to the force of resistance of the
eccentricity e, and base dimension D as illustrated soil and will be equal to the pressure p multiplied
below. by the area of the triangle.

Area of triangle = 0.5*p*Y

Force acting on the base = 0.5*p*Y*B = N

Therefore, p = 2N/BY
Where Y/3 + e = D hence Y = 3(D/2 e)

Reinforcement to base
If e < or equal to D/6, then the trapezoidal pressure
distribution will be witnessed below the base,
otherwise it will be a triangular distribution with e
> D/6.

In the above illustrations, two possible distributions

have been shown. The peak pressure is dependent on
where the moment is acting.
Proofs

Trapezoidal pressure p = N/BD 6M/bd2

The overall pressure, p, is due to the axial load N

and to the overturning moment M.

Under an axial load N, the pressure p = force per

unit area of base and therefore
p = N/Area of base in contact with soil
p = N/BD

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University of Mauritius Faculty of Engineering Civil Engineering Department
Foundation Design to BS8110: Part 1:1997
Lecturer: Mr. SEEBOO Asish

Design methodology

Step 1: Determine area of footing from bearing

Why is the span taken at the face of the column and
pressure of soil and load at serviceability limit not at the center of the column?
state.
Step 4: Calculate the area of steel reinforcement
[NB] Load should be inclusive of the self-weight of the
base. - d
- k
Area of base required = NSLS/ Bearing soil capacity - Z <= 0.95d
- As = M/0.95fyZ
From area of required, the dimensions B and D can - As min = 0.13%bh
easily be obtained. To determine H, the thickness of - As req = max (As , As min)
base, a thumb rule is used. - As prov

H = max (B,D)/5 Step 5: Check for shear at face of column.

Step 2: Determine the design earth pressure. Shear stress at face of column = NULS / ud
where u = column perimeter
The earth pressure, q, is computed by dividing the
ultimate load acting on the foundation/ column The calculated stress must be less than 0.8sqrt fcu
(exclusive of self weight of base) by the proposed Step 6: Check for punching shear at 1.5d from
base area. column face.

q = NULS / Proposed base area kN/m2

Considering unit width of base, load w = q kN/m

Step 3: Determine maximum moment on base

Step 7: Determine concrete stress, vc

Calculate 100As / bd, then determine vc from table
in BS 8110: Part 1: 1997.
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University of Mauritius Faculty of Engineering Civil Engineering Department
Foundation Design to BS8110: Part 1:1997
Lecturer: Mr. SEEBOO Asish

If punching shear stress is less than concrete shear

stress then base thickness is adequate, otherwise,
the base dimensions modified and the whole steps
followed.

Step 8: Detailing.

Example 1: A Pad footing is required to resist

characteristic loads of 200kN dead and 125kN
live from a 300mm square column. The
bearing capacity of the soil is 150kPa and
characteristic material strength are 35N/mm 2
for concrete and 460N/mm2 for steel. Design
and detail the base.
[NB] Column is centrally located over the
base.