ASSIGNMENT 300

FOUNDATION FRAMING SYSTEM

A. WOOD
Wood frame construction is one of the most widely used methods to build
residential, commercial and industrial buildings. Wood frames are not only very
economical to build but are also resistant to extreme climatic variations, and offer
residents a high degree of comfort. Added to that, wood frames are sustainable and
absorb carbon and offset greenhouse gasses.

FOUNDATION FOR WOOD FRAMES

Based on the type of soil and wood frame loads, a suitable foundation is
specified for construction. Footings should be deep enough to avoid frost action in
winter. The ground needs to be sufficiently compacted if the structure is constructed in
an area where root trees have been removed or filled materials are placed. If the wood
frame is constructed over poor soil, treated wood pile with wood or concrete sills can be
used.
By and large, two types of foundations are widely used for wood structures:
namely concrete foundation and pressure preservative treated wood foundation which
are shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, respectively. Apart from these, free standing pier, piers
with curtain walls, and pier supporting grading beam can also be utilized.

Figure 1. Concrete Foundation Figure 2. Wood Foundation

METHODS OF WOOD FRAME CONSTRUCTION

After the foundation has been laid, construction of wood frame structure begins. There
are various types of techniques that can be used for the construction of wood frames.
1. Platform Frame Construction
It is an easy method and mostly suitable for the construction of houses. In this
technique, first-floor joists are covered with sub-flooring to create a surface upon which
exterior walls and interior partitions are erected. In the platform system, wall framing can
be assembled on the floor and the entire unit can be tilted into its place.
2. Balloon Frame Construction
It is another method of wood frame construction which although is a bit less
popular compared to platform frame construction but is utilized when the conditions ask
for it. In this method, exterior wall studs and first-floor joists are supported by anchored
sill. The exterior wall studs are continuous to the second floor. The second-floor joists
are supported by ribbon strip which are inserted into the inside edges of exterior wall
studs.
3. Plank and Beam Frame Construction
In this framing method, beams, whose ends are supported by posts, are spaced
at a maximum of 2.4m and planks are used to cover floors and roofs. The posts provide
wall framing and planks act as subflooring and roof sheathing. Wall sheathing is
attached to supplementary framing between posts. Roof and floor loads imposed on
beams, then get transferred to the posts and are finally received by foundations.
4. Truss-Framed Construction
In this frame construction method, roof truss, floor truss and metal anchors are
used to build strong wood frames. Outstanding advantages of trussed frames are
substantial rigidity and wider spacing of roof and floor supporting members.
TYPES OF FASTENINGS FOR WOOD FRAME
1. Nails or Combination of Nails, Anchor and Additives
Nails or combination of nails, metal framing anchor, and construction additives
are used to fasten framing lumber and sheathing panels.
2. Ring or Shank Nails
Ring or shank nails are used when high loads are to be supported
3. Nailed Joints
Nailed joints are used when loads act at right angles to nails, but it should be
avoided if loads act parallel to the nail.
WOOD PROTECTION MEASURES
Provision of proper means to protect wood is an indicator of good construction
practice. Wood frame elements, specifically all the foundation members, shall be
protected against decay and termites.
Basic protection measures include the removal of tree root in areas around the
structure prior to backfilling, carefully tamp loose backfill to decrease future settlement,
and provide certain degree of slopes at foundation and over the building to force water
away from the structure. Finally, all wood structural elements shall be treated based on
the exposure to weather and closeness to ground.

B. CONCRETE
A concrete frame is a common form of structure, comprising a network of columns
and connecting beams that forms the structural ‘skeleton’ of a building. This grid of
beams and columns is typically constructed on a concrete foundation and is used to
support the building’s floors, roof, walls, cladding and so on.
Beams- are the horizontal load-bearing members of the frame. They are classified as
either:

 Main beams: Transmitting floor and secondary beam loads to the columns; or
 Secondary beams: Transmitting floor loads to the main beams.

Columns are the vertical members of the frame, and are the building’s primary load-
bearing element. They transmit the beam loads down to the foundations.
The materials that can be used as walls for concrete frame structures are
numerous, including heavyweight masonry options (e.g. brick, blockwork, stone), and
lightweight options (e.g. drywall, timber). Similarly, any kind of cladding materials can be
used to clad concrete frame structures.
Since concrete has little tensile strength, it generally needs to be reinforced.
Rebar, also known as reinforcement steel (or reinforcing steel), is a steel bar or mesh of
steelwires used to strengthen and hold the concrete in tension. To improve the quality of
the bond with the concrete, the surface of rebar is often patterned`.
Concrete frames can be precast (manufactured off site), or cast on site.

 Precast concrete frames are typically used for single-storey and low-rise
structures. The concrete members are transported to site where a crane then lifts
and places them into position to construct the frame:
  Prestressed concrete is a structural material that allows for predetermined,
engineering stresses to be placed in members to counteract the stresses that
occur when they are subject to loading. It combines the high strength
compressive properties of concrete with the high tensile strength of steel.
Concrete members can be formed on site with the use of formwork. This is a a
temporary mould into which concrete is poured. Traditional formwork is fabricated using
timber, but it can also be constructed from steel, glass fibre reinforced plastics and other
materials. Shuttering is perhaps the most popular type of formwork and is normally
constructed on site using timber and plywood.
Slip form is a method of construction in which concrete is poured into the top of a
continuously moving formwork. As the concrete is poured, the formwork is raised
vertically at a speed which allows the concrete to harden before it is free from the
formwork at the bottom.. Slip form is most economical for structures over 7 storeys high
such as bridges and towers, as it is the fastest method of construction for vertical
reinforced concrete structures, but it can also be used for horizontal structures such as
roadways.

C. STEEL
Structural steel framing refers to a building frame where the vertical and horizontal
structural elements are formed by a system of structural steel beams and columns. It is
made of a “skeleton frame” of vertical steel columns and horizontal I-beams,
constructed in a rectangular grid to support the floors, roof and walls of a building which
are all attached to the frame.
Different types of structural steel framing for buildings include skeleton, wall bearing
and long span framing systems. Each of them is discussed below.

 Skeleton Steel Framing

A skeleton frame is a framed
structure often used for the construction
of multi-story buildings. It incorporates a
network, or system, of columns and
connecting beams which support the
building’s interior floors and exterior walls
and carries all loads to the foundations. It
is made from a series of columns and
steel beams which are all connected.
Around the structure’s perimeter,
spandrel beams are installed to support
masonry walls. To find the correct
 lengths, the distance between each column needs to be set by the structure’s
requirements.

There are different types of components and steel connections that are
used to connect steel beams to columns in skeleton frame structures. For
connections between column and beams, there are a lot of components involved
such as the use of metal brackets, gusset plates and haunches which help to
distribute the induced stresses. Shims help in making line and elevation
adjustments. Shelf angle brackets help in attaching the spandrel beam and
column. For bolt and welded connections, flexible end plate, fin plate and double
angle cleat are used.

 Wall Bearing Steel Framing

Wall bearing steel framing involves the

erection of masonry walls on the perimeter
and interior of the building. The structural
steel members are then anchored on the
masonry walls using bearing and end steel
plates and anchor bolts. The design and
construction of the wall-bearing framing
depend on the load intensity and the span
distance between successive supports.
While lower depth beams help increase the
clear headroom height of the building it also
poses a requirement for the closer spacing
of the columns which limits the clear floor
space area.
In this type of framing system the building’s wall, exterior or interior is designed to
support the roof/floor load. These rigid frames need to be strong enough to resist
any additional horizontal load. The framing is suitable for the construction of lower
structures. This is because the size of the bearing wall must be increased
significantly to withstand considerable loads exerted in the case of multistory
buildings.

 Long Span Steel Framing

Long Span Steel Framing is used for

wide spans with a large clearance
requirement, where conventional beams
and columns aren’t appropriate. A long span
is a span that exceeds 12m. It helps to
provide flexible floor space, column-free internal spaces, reduction in the on-site
construction period, allows for installation of multiple services and mixed-use of
spaces. It is typically used for large industrial buildings, auditoriums, theatres,
exhibition spaces etc. This framing system is largely used on bigger projects that
require taller arches and heavier loads.
Long span steel framing options can be categorized into different types:

 Trusses – comes with the advantage of spanning long distances due to the
greater depth they possess making them stiff against deflections. The types of
trusses used for long-span construction include Pratt trusses, Warren Trusses,
Fink Trusses, Scissors, Bow String and Vierendeel Trusses.
 Girders – deep steel beams which help to span long distances. The spanning
length depends on the girder steel grade and the span depth ratio. Girders are
installed in different ways there are stub girders that span longitudinally across
the structures being connected to the main girders and the hybrid girders
 Arches – can be made as solid arches or open web arches, three-hinged, two
hinged or fixed arches. These depend on the type of structural materials to be
used, strength capacities, anchorage, building use, foundation type and the
loading conditions.
 Rigid frames – designed to bear both bending moment and shear forces. They
are designed as full continuous frames through the whole length and height in
the absence of the hinges or pins in the crowns and mid-span.