Different Types of Foundation

Foundation:
Foundation is a structural part of a building on which a building stands.
Foundation transmits and distributes its own load and imposed loads to the soil .
The solid ground on which the foundation rest is called foundation bed. We use
various types of footing as a foundation.

Foundations are mainly two categories.

1. Shallow foundation, and

2. Deep foundation.

1.Shallow Foundation
Shallow foundation is a type of foundation that transfers
load to the very near the surface. Shallow foundations typically have a
depth to width ratio of less than 1.

Following are the type’s shallow foundations -

 Pad footing or column footing

 Cantilever or strap footings

 Mat/Raft footings

 Wall Footings
Pad footing or column footing
This type of footing can be two types - Isolated and Combined.

Isolated footing
These are most economical. They are usually in square or rectangle size
with the column sitting in the middle of the square. It's a kind of pad
footing.
Combined footing
A footing, either rectangular or trapezoidal, that supports two columns. It's
also a pad  footing.

Cantilever or strap footings

Consist of two single footings connected with a beam or a strap and support
two single columns.
Mat/Raft footings
Consist of one footing usually placed under the entire building area. They
are used when soil bearing capacity is low, column loads are heavy, single
footing can’t be used, piles are not used and differential settlement must be
reduced.

Deep Foundation
Deep foundations are the one which are used to transmit the load to a
deeper strata. Generally, piles, caissons, wells, diaphragm walls lie in
this category. The load transfer in this type of foundation is either by end
bearing, friction or in combinations of both.

Types of Deep Foundation

The types of deep foundations in general use are as follows:

1. Basements
2. Buoyancy rafts (hollow box foundations)
3. Caissons
4. Cylinders
5. Shaft foundations
6. Pile foundations

Caissons foundations:
Caissons are hollow substructures designed to be constructed on or near the surface
and then sunk as a single unit to their required level.
Pile Foundation
Piles are columnar structure used to transfer the loads from the
superstructure to a competent sub-surface strata, where the required
bearing capacity is available.

Usage of Pile foundation

Selection of pile foundation for any construction site depends on various

factors. Few of them are soil conditions, type of structure to be
supported, load acting on the superstructure and the load being
transferred to the foundation, cost.

Generally piles are used, if the soil at shallow depth does not have
adequate bearing capacity and when the estimated settlement values are
greater than the allowable limits. Pile foundations are also preferred
where expansive and collapsible soils are found.

Pile foundations are preferred for tall structures, transmission towers,

marine structures where a huge amount of vertical, horizontal, uplift and
overturning forces are expected from wind and wave action. Pile
foundations are generally designed for vertical, horizontal and uplift
forces as required.

Types of Pile Foundation

Types of pile foundation can be classified under various heads. In this

discussion we limit ourselves under the following listed categories.
1. Materials used

2. Construction method

3. Installation type

4. Load transmission and functional behavior

 

Materials used

1. Timber Piles

Timber piles are mainly used to support light to moderate loading

structures. They are widely used for compaction of soils and for the
construction of temporary structures. They are also used in the
protecting water- front structure.

The main advantages of timber piles are, they are easy to handle, low
initial cost, durable in non-fluctuating weather conditions. 
Disadvantages include proper treatment of piles against termites and
fluctuating weather conditions, difficulty in splicing and cautious driving
methods to avoid to pile head damage.
2. Concrete Piles
Concrete piles are the widely used for heavily loaded structures. Concrete piles can
be pre-cast or cast in-situ piles. The precast piles may use ordinary reinforcing bars
or prestressed bars depending on the usage and the loading conditions.  The main
advantage is the higher loading capacity and ease in construction. Disadvantages
include high initial cost, requirement of treatment when used in corrosive areas,
marine environment and splicing in case of prestressed piles.

3. Steel Piles  

Steel piles of various cross sections such as Hollow steel tubes, Box sections,  H-
sections, built -up sections are available and have to be chosen carefully according
to the site conditions. Steel piles are easy to splice, handle and install where deep
penetrations are required. They can withstand high driving forces and any damage
to the pile head can be rectified by trimming them and splicing with a newer
section . Steel piles are best suited where ground heave and lateral displacements
are to be avoided. In case of corrosive environment and marine structures, the steel
piles will require treatment. The cost per metre run will be higher than the concrete
piles.

4. Composite Piles  

Composite piles are generally employed under special conditions. They are
generally made of two or more different type of pile materials or pile types. One
such case is, concrete pile can be spliced with a timber or steel pile in marine
environment. The timber or steel piles will be used far below the splash zone to
avoid damage due to alternate corrosive environment with a concrete pile being
spliced above.

Construction Method

1. Cast in-situ Piles

Cast in-situ piles can be either driven or bored. Driven cast in-situ piles are
economical for light to moderate loading conditions.  Driven cast in-situ piles are
difficult to use for deep penetrations and grounds having boulders and other major
obstructions. Difficulty in connection and extraction of  the withdrawal tube makes
it difficult for driven cast in-situ piles to be used in cases of deep penetrations.
Ground heave possibilities also make them unsuitable for some environments. 
Bored cast in-situ piles are the cheapest type formed by drilling holes with or
without liners. If the liners are left permanently, they are termed as cased pile and 
as uncased pile if the liners are removed. Suitable for very high working loads and
where ground heave conditions are to be avoided. Bentonite slurry is also used in
case of collapsible soils. The main concern in using these piles will be the disposal
of the augured earth materials especially in case of contaminated soils.

2.  Pre-cast Piles

Pre-cast piles are mainly used in marine environment where driven and cast in-situ
piles become uneconomical. They prove to be economical in land structures, if
huge number of piles are required. Disadvantages in case of pre-cast piles are
additional reinforcements have to be provided for taking care of handling stresses
and the required length may not exactly match with the available pre-cast pile
length.  But these two disadvantages seems in-effective with respect to cost in case
of huge projects because of the following listed advantages.  Since these are pre-
cast piles, required quality of concrete can be assured and hence a  higher working
load can be assumed compared to cast in-situ piles. These pre-cast piles can also be
prestressed and hence will have a higher load capacity. The main advantages of
pre- cast pile is they can be used under high loading conditions and with minimum
construction time at site.

Installation Type

1. Replacement Piles:

These piles are either bored and cast in-situ piles or drilled-in tubular piles. In both
the cases, the earth is removed where the pile has to be installed and is then filled
with reinforced concrete or precast sections are erected. Steel liners, bentonite
slurry may also be used according the prevalent soil condition in the site. These
replacement piles do not provide any additional consolidation or displace the
surrounding soil and hence ground heaving is avoided.

2. Displacement Piles:

Displacement piles are either solid sections or hollow sections with a closed end
driven into the soil, thus displacing the soil around them. They are mainly used
where there are no restrictions on ground heaving and lateral displacement of soil.
Displacement piles are mainly preferred in marine structures.
Load Transfer Method

1. End Bearing Pile

If the pile transmits the load from the structure to a considerable strong stratum
mainly through the resistance developed at the bottom or tip of the pile, then it is
called as end bearing pile.

2. Friction Piles

if the prominent load transfer is primarily by  friction along the surface of the piles,
then they are termed as frictional piles. Friction piles are generally used in low to
medium dense sand and where hard strata is not available at reasonable depth.

3. End Bearing cum Frictional Piles

In few cases, the load transfer will be a combination of both end bearing and
frictional resistance.

Function of Pile Foundation:

As other types of foundations, the purpose of pile foundations is:

– To transmit the buildings loads to the foundations and the ground soil layers whether these
loads vertical or inclined

– To install loose cohesion less soil through displacement and vibration.

– To control the settlements; which can be accompanied by surface foundations.

– To increase the factor of safety for heavy loads buildings

The selection of type of pile foundation is based on Site investigation report ,
type of pile foundation to be used, depth of pile foundation to be provided. The
cost analysis of various options for use of pile foundation should be carried out
before selection of pile foundation types.

Efficiency of Pile Group:

The efficiency of pile group depends on the following factors:

1. Spacing of piles

2. Total number of piles in a row and number of rows in a group, and

3. Characteristics of pile (material, diameter and length)