Foundation

Foundation:Foundation is the most important part of the building. Building activity starts with digging the ground
for foundation and then building it. It is the lower most part of the building. It transfers the load of the building to
the ground.

Its main functions and requirements are:

(a) Distribute the load from the structure to soil evenly and safely.
(b) To anchor the building to the ground so that under lateral loads building will not move.
(c) It prevents the building from overturning due to lateral forces.
(d) It gives level surface for the construction of super structure.

Bearing Capacity is the ability of a soil to support a load from foundation without causing a shear failure or
excessive settlement.

Ultimate Bearing Capacity(UBC): It's the gross pressure at the base of foundation at which the soil fails in
shear. It's not used for design because it has a big value.

Net Safe Bearing Capacity: Ultimate Bearing capacity devided by factor of safety.

Safe Bearing Capacity(SBC): Ultimate Bearing capacity devided by the factor of safety. The factor of safety
varies between 2 and 5, depending upon the importance of the structure and the soil profile at the site.
The factor of safety should be applied to the net ultimate bearing capacity and the surcharge pressure due to
depth of the foundation should be added to get the safe bearing capacity.

SBC= (UBC/ factor of safety) + surcharge pressure due to depth of foundation

Criteria for determination of Bearing Capacity:

1) Shear failure of the foundation or bearing capacity failure, as it is sometimes called, shall not occur.
2) The probable settlements (differential as well as total) of the foundation must be limited to safe, acceptable
values.
The design value of the safe bearing capacity would be smaller of the two values, obtained from these two
criteria,

Load bearing Structure Framed structure

A load bearing masonry structure has load A framed structure has columns erected
bearing walls which receive the load and which in turn are braced together by beams
transmit the same to the ground through and slab.
their foundations
These load bearing walls supports the entire Space between column and beams are filled
load including their self weight. by panel walls.
Foundations for load bearing walls may be of two Foundations for framed structures are of
types: two types:

i) Simple strip footing ii) Isolated footing

ii) Strip footing with masonry offsets (Stepped spread footing’
footing). slopped footing
stepped footing
iii) Pad footing
simple pad footing
stepped pad footing

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Suitable up to three floors Suitable for any number of floors
Cost is less Cost is more
Less space More space
Not suitable for all types of soil Suitable for any type of soil.

Advantages of framed construction:

 They are meant for multistoried buildings
 Framed structures provide greater floor area. The walls and partition walls which are thin resulting
increase of floor area.
 Additions and alterations can be more easily done in the case of framed structures.
 Construction time is less in framed constructions
 They can resist earth quake shocks better than a load bearing structure.

Types of foundations:

Broadly Classified to two types:

1) Shallow foundation : Depth ≤ Breadth
2) Deep foundation : Depth > Breadth

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Shallow foundation: Depth ≤ Breadth

1. Spread footings

It is the type of footing which supports either one wall or one column spread the superimposed load of wall or
column over a large area.

Single column spread footings.

Single footing Stepped footing Slopped footing

.ii Multiple column spread footings.

Rectangular RCC with

column (with beam) Rectangular RCC with
column (without beam)

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.B Wall Spread footings

Combined footings

Common footings may be provided for two columns. This type of footing is necessary when a column is very close
to the boundary of the property and hence there is no scope to project footing much beyond the column face

Rectangular combined Combined column wall

footing Trepezoidal combined
footing footing

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Strap (Cantilever) Footings

These are Independent footings connected by a beam and provided when the distance between the columns is large.

Mat/Raft/Grid Foundation

It is a combined footing that covers the entire area beneath a structure and supports all the walls and columns.

It is suitable when the load coming on the soil is practically uniform or soil is of yielding nature or where soil
tends to cause differential settlement or spread footing would cover more than half the area of the foundation.

If the load on the column is quite high (Multistorey columns) or when the SBC of soil is low, the sizes of
isolated columns may work out to be to such an extent that they overlap each other. In such situation a common
footing may be provided to several columns

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2.0 Deep Foundation : Depth > Breadth

2.1Pile foundation

These foundations are known as deep foundations

The pile transfer the load to soil by friction or by direct bearing, in the latter case, piles being taken up to hard
strata.

This type of foundations is used when top soil is not capable of taking the load of the structure even at 3–4 m
depth.

Classification of Piles According to Load Transfer:

According to the load transfer to the soil piles may be classified as

(a) Bearing piles and

(b) Friction piles.

a) End Bearing piles

End Bearing piles rest on hard strata and transfer the load by bearing. Such piles are preferred. These piles are
used if the hard strata is available at reasonable depth.

b) Friction piles

Friction piles transfer the load to the soil by the friction between soil and the pile. Such piles are used if hard
strata is not available to a considerable depth. The friction developed is to be properly assessed before deciding
the length of the pile. The surface of such piles is made rough to increase the skin friction so that required
length of pile is reduced.

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Classification According to Materials Used:

Piles may be classified as:

(a) Timber piles

(b) Concrete piles

(c) Steel piles and

(d) Composite piles.

(a) Timber piles: Circular seasoned wood can be used as piles.

Their diameter may vary from 200 mm to 400 mm. The bottom of the pile is sharpened and is provided with
iron shoe, so that it can be driven in the ground easily by hammering.

These piles are cheap and can be easily driven rapidly.

The main disadvantage is their load carrying capacity is low and are likely to be damaged during driving in
the soil.

(b) Concrete piles: These piles may be further classified as precast piles and cast in situ piles.

Precast piles are reinforced with steel and are manufactured in factories. Square, circular and octagonal sections
are commonly used. The length of piles may be up to 20 m.

They are provided with steel shoe at the lowest end.

These piles can carry fairly large loads.

The disadvantage of these piles is they need more time to manufacture and are heavy to handle.

Cast in situ concrete piles are formed first by boring the holes in the soil and then concreting them. Concreting
is usually made using casing tubes. If the hole is filled with only plain concrete it is pressure pile. The load
carrying capacity of the piles may be increased by providing enlarged base.

The reinforcement caging may be inserted in the bored holes and to increase load carrying capacity one or two
under reams may be formed. After that concreting may be carried out. Such piles are known

as under reamed piles. These piles are provided at regular interval of 2 to 4 m and capping beam is provided
over them.

(c) Steel Piles:A steel pile may be a rolled steel I sections, tubes or fabricated in the form of box.These piles are
mostly used as bearing piles since surface available for friction is less and also the coefficient of friction is less.
These piles are very useful for driving close to existing structures since they disturb the soil least.

(d) Composite Piles:Composite piles may be of concrete and timber or of concrete and steel.

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Pier
Foundation

Pier foundations are somewhat similar to pile foundations but are typically larger in area than piles. An opening is
drilled to the desired depth and concrete is poured to make a pier foundation.

a) Masonry Pier

b) Caisson

A caisson is a structural box or chamber that is sunk into place or built in place by systematic excavation
below the bottom. The top and bottom are open during installation for open caissons. The bottom may be
finally sealed with concrete or may be anchored into rock.

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Well foundation:

Box shaped structure. It can be rectangular or circular. It is sunk from surface to the desired depth.
Their diameter is large compared to pier foundation Well foundations are hollow from inside which should be filled
with sand and plugged at the bottom. Used for: Bridge piers, Large water front structures, pump houses, Docks,
Break water structures

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Black Cotton Soil

Black cotton soil swells during rainy season and cracks in summer due to shrinkage.
These shrinkage cracks are 100 mm to 150 mm wide and 0.5 m to 2 m deep.
Swelling creates upwards pressure on the structure and shrinkage creates downward pull.
It results into cracks in foundations wall and roof. Hence foundation in black cotton soil need special care.

In case black cotton soil is only to a depth of 1.0 m and 2.0 m it is economical to remove entire black cotton
soil from the site and build the foundation on red soil. Apart from this black cotton soil should be removed
from the sides of the foundation and filled with sand and gravel.

In case the depth of black cotton soil is more, the following type of foundation may be provided:

1. Strip or pad foundation

2. Pier foundation with arches and

3. Under reamed pile foundation.

1. Strip or Pad Foundation: Strip foundation are for walls while pad foundations are for columns. In these
foundation the attempt is to keep black cotton soil from foundation by interposing layers of sand and gravel.
These foundations should be constructed during dry season.

Strip foundation for walls Pad foundation for Columns

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2. Pier Foundation with Arches:A pier is a vertical columns of relatively larger cross-section than piles. For
walls carrying heavy loads, piers are dug at regular intervals and filled with plain concrete. Then the piers
are connected by concrete or masonry arch. Over these arches regular masonry is built.

3. Under Reamed File Foundations:Under reamed piles are bored and then concreted at the sites. Their
length may vary from 3 to 6 m. They are provided with reams and reinforcement.
The pile spacing varies from 2 to 4 m. The top of piles are provided with capping beams over which walls
are built.

Soils for foundation

Moorum- Murum is a special type of coarse grained soil. It may be red, brown in colour and found in
lumps and it can be well compacted deposits. When dry it can be broken if forced by both hands.
It has good bearing capacity and is suitable for most of the foundations. (Good Soil for foundation)

Silt- Inorganic silts are finely ground particles of sand. The silts may have either no plasticity or small
plasticity under different amount of water content. Such soils when air dried have either very less or no
strength. (Poor soil for foundation)

Rock: Generally any rock or boulder which requires blasting i.e. quartzite, granite, basalt etc.is termed as
hard rock. It can not be removed by chiseling or any manual means but only can be excavated by
mechanical means or blasting.They have high bearing capacity. (Good Soil for foundation)

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Improving the bearing capacity of soil
If the soil at the site is found to incapable to sustain the load coming upon it, the bearing capacity of the
soil can be improved by following methods-:

1) By deepening the foundation : This is the simplest method. The soil is more compact at greater depth.

2) By draining the site : This is the simplest method by providing suitable drains. Water find its way to the
lower levels. The soil bed under the foundation can be drained by surrounding the building with a tile
drain, which is laid at level lower than the foundation .

3) By ramming in dense material : It is possible to increase bearing capacity of a soil by spreading sand,
gravel or broken stone over the foundation bed & ramming it into the soil, in this way a more compact zone
is artificially produced .

4) By compacting soil -: Bearing capacity of soil can be increased by compacting the soil by bulldozers .

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