CE 200

Details of Construction
Credits: 1.5

Shallow Foundation
Dr. Shakil Ahmed
Assistant Professor
Department of Civil Engineering (CE)
East West University (EWU)

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Shallow Foundation

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 FOUNDATION
Every building consists of two basic  Superstructure is usually that part of the
components:
building which is above ground and which
• Superstructure serves the purpose of its intended use.
• Substructure
 Substructure is the lower portion of the
building, usually located below ground
level, which transmits the loads of the
superstructure to the sub soil.
Foundation:
1) A foundation is that part of the structure which is in direct contact with
the ground to which the loads are transmitted.
2) The soil which is located immediately below the base of the foundation is
called the sub soil or foundation soil.
Footing:
The lowermost portion of the foundation which is in direct contact with the
sub soil is called footing.
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Functions of foundations:

Reduction of load intensity: Foundation distributes the loads of the

superstructure to a large area. So the intensity of load at its base does not exceed
the safe bearing capacity of sub soil.

Even distribution of load: Foundations distribute the non uniform load of the
superstructure evenly on the sub soil such as combined footing.

Provision of level surface: Foundation provide leveled and hard surface over
which the superstructure can be built.

Lateral stability: It anchors the superstructure to the ground imparting the

stability of the building against sliding & overturning due to horizontal forces.

Safety: It provides structural safety against scouring due to flood water,

borrowing etc.

Protection against soil movement: Special foundation prevents the distress in

the superstructure due to expansion or contraction of the subsoil because of
moisture movement of soil. 4
Essential requirements of a good foundation:

• The foundation shall be constructed to sustain the dead and imposed load and
to transmit this to the sub soil in such a way that the pressure on soil do not
cause excessive settlement.

• Foundation base should be rigid so that differential settlements are

minimized.

• Foundations should be sufficiently deep in order to guard the building

against damage caused by swelling or shrinkage of sub soil.

• Foundation should be so located that its performance may not be affected due
to unexpected future influence.

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Types of foundation:
1. Shallow foundation
2. Deep foundation

Shallow foundation:
Shallow Foundations – are usually located no more than 6 ft below the lowest
finished floor. A shallow foundation system generally used when
(1) the soil close the ground surface has sufficient bearing capacity,
(2) and underlying weaker strata do not result in undue settlement. The
shallow foundations are commonly used most economical foundation
systems.

Types of shallow foundations:

1. Spread footing
2. Eccentrically loaded footing
3. Combined footing
4. Mat or raft footing
5. Strap footing
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Spread footing:
Spread footings are those which spread the super imposed load of wall or column over the
widen area. Spread footing may be of the following types-

1. Wall footing: These types of footing consist of several courses of bricks. It might be two
types:

Simple wall footing :- In this type of footing, one base foundation is constructed which is
further followed with a wall.

Stepped wall footing :- In this type of footing on a base of foundation, two more steps are
constructed which are further followed with a wall.

The increase base width of the wall is achieved by providing 2.5 in offset on either side of
the wall. Depth of each course is usually 5 inch. Generally a concrete base is provided at
the lowest level.

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Wall Footing

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2. Column footing: Column footing is one which is provided under a column for
distributing the concentrated loads in the form of uniformly distributed load on soil below.
Generally column footing means reinforced cement concrete column footing.
It also may be of different types:
1) Single footing: Here the column load is distributed through the single spread.
2) Stepped footing: This footing is generally used for heavily loaded column
which requires greater spread.

3. Sloped footing: In this footing the concrete base does not have uniform thickness but it
is made sloped with greater thickness at its junction with the column and smaller thickness
at the ends.

4. Reinforced concrete footing: In places where the walls are subjected to relatively heavy
loading and the bearing capacity of the soil on which the wall footing is to rest is very low,
in such case it is desirable to provide reinforced concrete footing below the wall.

5. Inverted arch footing: In older periods, this type of foundation were used for
multistoried buildings. These types of foundation greatly reduce the depth of foundation in
soft soils. However with the advancement in engineering technique, inverted arch
construction is rarely done these days.

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Column Footing

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Sloped footing Inverted arch footing

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Steps of Constructing Single Footing

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Eccentrically loaded footing:

As far as possible, the foundation should be so shaped and

proportional that the center of gravity of the imposed load is
coinciding with the centre of gravity of the area of base. However
when the wall or columns are to be placed closely to property lines,
the required supporting areas of the base cannot be placed
concentrically with the imposed load without overlapping the
property line.
In such case, the footing is so shaped as to have a considerable
wider base with regular offsets on the inside while the outside wall
face is kept flush with the boundary line.

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Fig.: Eccentrically loaded footing
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Combined footing:

A spread footing which supports two or more columns is termed

as combined footing. It may be following types:
•Rectangular
•Trapezoidal
The combined footing for column will be rectangular in shape if
they carry equal loads. If the columns carry unequal loads, the
footing is of trapezoidal shape. The design of combined footing
should be done in such a way that C.G of column load coincides
with C.G of footing area. Sometimes it may require providing
combined footing for column and a wall.

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Cantilever or strap footings: These are similar to combined
footings, except that the footings under columns are built
independently, and are joined by strap beam

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 Video Demonstration:
Mat or Raft foundation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsqHwOTgtjQ

1) A raft or mat is a combined footing that covers the entire

area beneath a structure and supports all the walls and
columns.

2) When the allowable soil pressure is low or the building

loads are heavy, the use of spread footings would cover
more than one half the areas and it may prove more
economical to provide mat or raft foundation.

3) Also if the structure is liable to subsidence on account of

uncertain behavior of its sub soil water condition, raft
foundation should be preferred.

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Steps of Constructing Mat Foundation

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Grillage Foundation:

Grillage Foundation design is mostly suitable for heavy structural

loads from columns, piers or beams which are essential to
transmit bearing capacity of a soil relatively inferior.

The grillage foundation can easily disperse the load over a broad
area of the subsoil to reduce the intensity of pressure within safe
bearing capacity of soil.

This foundation facilitates to resist deep excavations because the

required base area is arranged for the load of the transmission. .

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Steel Grillage Foundation:

Steel grillage foundation is constructed of steel beams, provided

in two or more tiers. In the case of double tier grillage, the top tier
of grillage beams is laid at right angles to the bottom tier.

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Steel Grillage Foundation

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Steel Grillage Foundation, section at cutting plane AB

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Steel Grillage Foundation, plan view
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