BM+CIII:

BASICS IN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM

FOUNDATION SYSTEM

Belay Getachew(Msc)
• Architecture and urban planning (BSc, AAU)
• Construction Technology and Management (MSc, AAU)
• Urban Management and Development (MSc, EUR)

AAU - EiABC, Chair of Building Construction, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Oct, 2019
CONTENT of the Lecture
1. Introduction

2. What is it ? _ Definition of foundation.

3. Why it is needed ? _ Purpose of foundation.

4. What it has to fulfill ? _ Requirements of foundation.

5. How many types it has ? _ Types of foundation.

6. How is it constructed ? _ Construction process & details of

foundation.

7. Common mistakes in local construction practice

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Objective of the Lecture
1. Understand and define foundation system.

2. Describe the purpose of foundation in buildings.

3. List and describe the expected requirements of foundation.

4. List and describe foundation types, compare and contrast

between the types.

5. Know the components of foundation, understand, describe

and be able to draw construction details of foundation.

6. Know common mistake of local practice and avoid in future.

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 1. Introduction

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1. Introduction
BM+CIII course: focused on building systems or components
of standard building details and understanding of basic
construction systems.

The Building System: Foundations,

Floors, Walls, Openings, Vertical
circulation system, Roof system, ….

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1. Introduction

Foundation System in
Building

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1. Introduction
Sub Structure and super structure

Ground level

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1. Introduction
Framed structural system and Load bearing wall system

load bearing wall

Infill wall
Load transferred to
Load transferred to
foundation from wall
foundation from a column

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1. Introduction
Reinforced Concrete _ monolithic structure

− Concrete _ comprehensive strength

− Reinforcement bars(steel) tensile strength

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 2. Definition of foundation.

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2. Definition of foundation
Foundation is the bottom part of the structural system of a
building constructed below ground level to support the
building loads and transfer loads to the underlying sub soil
safely.

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 3. Purpose of foundation.

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2. Purpose of foundation
Support the axial building load and safely transfer it to the
ground to make the building stable.

Building is stable
when building
load and soil
reaction is equal

What is soil bearing capacity?

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2. Purpose of foundation
Anchor the building and keep it stable and avoid overturning
(due to lateral loads such as wind, earthquake …) and
uprooting.

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4. Requirements of foundation.

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3. Requirements of foundation
Issues that a any foundation has to abide:

1. Strength and stability (basic functional requirements)

− Support load, anchor the building,

2. Fulfil local building code standards.

3. Economical without compromising stability.

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3. Requirements of foundation
Issues that a any foundation has to abide:

4. Constructible with available technology and material.

Strip foundation :_ RC / mass concrete, masonry units,…

Pad & mat foundation: reinforced concrete

Pile foundation: RC, steel, wood,..

− Reinforced concrete is almost a default material in

foundation construction. …. Focus of the lecture

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3. Requirements of foundation
Issues that a any foundation has to abide:

5. Foundation excavation must consider safety of adjacent

structures.

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3. Requirements of foundation
Issues that a any foundation has to abide:

6. Avoid differential settlement and excessive (beyond the

limit stated by building code) uniform settlement.

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3. Requirements of foundation
Issues that a any foundation has to abide:

7. Design shall be based on geotechnical investigation.

8. Design shall consider: layout of building, story, Location

and Function.

9. Design shall be prepared by professional structural

engineer.

10. Protected against corrosion or deterioration due to

harmful materials present in the soil.

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3. Requirements of foundation
Issues that a any foundation has to abide:

11. Shall not be placed in a zone of high volume change due to

moisture fluctuations.

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 5. Types of foundation.

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5. Types of foundation
Foundations broadly classified based on the location of load
transfer:

I. Shallow foundations: placed in a shallow depth from the

surface of earth. It is most commonly used & economical
foundation systems.

II. Deep foundations: foundation goes deep from the surface

of earth. Mostly used when subsoil near the ground
surface has very poor bearing capacity or a high rise
structure is built.

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 Shallow foundations

Deep foundations:

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5. Types of foundation
I. Shallow foundation

1. Pad/footing with column : building load comes with

column / point and transferred to ground through a pad.

Sub types: (1) Isolated , (2) Combined, & (3) strap

2. Strip foundation: wall on footing: load comes from load

bearing wall / linear load transferring

3. Mat/raft foundation: whole building footprint is foundation.

Sub types: (1) Flat (2) Ribbed on top (3) Ribbed at bottom

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5. Types of foundation
I. Shallow foundation

1. Pad/footing with column : (1) Isolated footing _ single

foundation column and footing pad.

Footing can be
• Square,
• Rectangular, Or
• Circular.
Foundation column

Footing/pad

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5. Types of foundation
I. Shallow foundation

1. Pad/footing with column : (1) Isolated footing

Deflection

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5. Types of foundation
I. Shallow foundation

1. Pad/footing with column : (2) Combined footing _ two or

more foundation column and common footing pad.

Footing can be
• Rectangular, or
• Trapezoidal

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5. Types of foundation
I. Shallow foundation

1. Pad/footing with column : (2) Combined footing

Deflection

Reinforced at top & bottom,

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5. Types of foundation
I. Shallow foundation

1. Pad/footing with column : (3) Strap foundation: two

separate isolated footings connected by strap beam

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5. Types of foundation
I. Shallow foundation

2. Strip foundation: having a footing for a load bearing wall.

A continuous slab strip along the length of wall

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Strip foundation

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None Structural Strip Foundation

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5. Types of foundation
I. Shallow foundation

3. Mat/raft foundation: a thick reinforced concrete slabs (with

or without beam) covering the entire foundation area. It
usually serve as a basement floor.

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5. Types of foundation
I. Shallow foundation

3. Mat/raft foundation: is used when;

a) when the bearing capacity of the soil is so low that other

footing cannot be used and where piles cannot be used.

b) Large Individual footings: when the sum of individual footing

areas exceeds about one-half of the total foundation area.

c) Cavities or compressible lenses. subsurface exploration

indicates that there will be differential settlement caused by
small cavities or compressible lenses.

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5. Types of foundation
I. Shallow foundation

3. Mat/raft foundation: Types column

raft floor
columns raft
raft

columns columns columns

beams

floor fill

(1) Flat(a)Mat (2) Ribs underneath

plain raft/ mat foundation mat
(b) ribs underneath (3) Ribs on toponmat
(c) ribs top

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5. Types of foundation
I. Shallow foundation

3. Mat/raft foundation: (1) Flat mat _ no visible beam

A large & thick continuous

footing/slab supporting all
the columns of the structure.
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5. Types of foundation
I. Shallow foundation

3. Mat/raft foundation: (2) Ribbed mat _ when thickness

become uneconomical with flat mat.

(2) Ribs underneath mat (3) Ribs on top mat

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5. Types of foundation
II. Deep foundation

Pile foundation: large and

Plan
long columns going deep to
the earth.

Circular or Square
column section

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Elevation
STEEL AND CONCRETE

Site: United Bank Pile foundation

AAU - EiABC, Chair of Building Construction, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Oct, 2019
5. Types of foundation
II. Deep foundation

1. Pile foundation types: (1) End bearing & (2) Friction piles

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 6. Construction process and
details of foundation.

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6. Foundation construction
Construction process/ steps (simplified)

Pre- construction stage: site investigation, design and

permit process.

Construction stage

1. Mobilization_ preparation to commence construction

2. Setting out

3. Excavation _ previous lecture

4. Actual construction (foundation, substructure,…

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6. Foundation construction
2. Setting out : the first step, the process of demarcating the
building on the ground. Transferring site plan information to
the ground.

Site plan & foundation plan/section drawings are required.

− Site plan: showing the exact location of the building in

the site.

− Foundation plan; showing the foundation layout and

size information.

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AAU - EiABC, Chair of Building Construction, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Oct, 2019 45
6. Foundation construction
2. Setting out :

Task no 1: mark the building corners on the ground by

using the site plan drawing.

HOW ?

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6. Foundation construction
2. Setting out :

Task no 1: mark the building corners on the ground by

using the site plan drawing.

HOW ?

− A site plan shall clearly show or have the information about

the size and location of building with in the site.

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6. Foundation construction
2. Setting out :

By giving reference distance (from two or more fixed points

with known location. ) or by stating the (x,y) coordinate of
the corners (to use GPS).

For simple and small buildings manual (without using

surveying instrument) can be applied to conduct setting out,
but for large and complicated building surveying
instrument shall be used.

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6. Foundation construction
2. Setting out :
Reference : site border, road edge, existing building, ….

c (2115,1212) , (X,Y)
b

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6. Foundation construction
2. Setting out :

Task no 2: check _(a) Measuring side lengths & diagonals.

(b) Using Pythagoras theorem (3,4,5 method)

Pegs
Checking distance
between the pegs

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6. Foundation construction
2. Setting out :

Task no 3: Shift the pegs outward and construct a parallel

profile boards _

WHY ?

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6. Foundation construction
2. Setting out :

Task no 3: Shift the pegs outward and construct a parallel

profile boards _

WHY ?
The location of the building corner pegs is going to be
excavated , the reference it going to be lost. So, shifting it
outward to area the is not going to be constructed is
necessary.

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6. Foundation construction
2. Setting out :

Task no 3: Shift the pegs outward and construct profile.

Strings

Pegs

Profile boards
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 Profile board

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 Defining building
structures and center
Footing Pad outline
lines by using string
running from profile to
profile

Pegs

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AAU - EiABC, Chair of Building Construction, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Oct, 2019 54
 Using plumb bob drop the
points/corners of the excavation
boundary by adding 25cm working
space.

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6. Foundation construction

3. Excavation: What to excavate

Top soil (20 -30cm) has to be

removed first, site clearing.

AAU - EiABC, Chair of Building Construction, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Oct, 2019
6. Foundation construction
3. Excavation:

Trench, Pit excavation, bulk excavation or bore hole

Bulk Excavation

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 Pit Excavation

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Trench Excavation

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6. Foundation construction
4. Foundation structure construction:

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6. Foundation construction
4. Foundation construction: (a) isolated footing foundation

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AutoCAD file

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 1. Make sure the soil is
compacted
2. Prepare the footing pad
formwork
3. Put 5cm thick lean
concrete + spacer (for
5cm concrete cover)

AAU - EiABC, Chair of Building Construction, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Oct, 2019
1. Putt/fix the footing pad reinforcement bars
2. Putt/fix the foundation column reinforcement bars

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 Vibration for better compaction
2. Purpose of foundation

Framing foundation
column
reinforcement

5. Pour the concrete into the formwork

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AAU - EiABC, Chair of Building Construction, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Oct, 2019 68
1. Remove pad / footing formwork
2. Column profile on top of footing: guides or
dictates the position of column formwork,
3. Column formwork placement
4. Pour concrete , vibrate
Column
AAU - EiABC, Chair of Building Construction, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Oct, 2019formwork profile
AAU - EiABC, Chair of Building Construction, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Oct, 2019
1. Backfill the excavations (with compaction)
2. Build the peripheral non structural strip
3. Put grade beam reinforcement
4. Cast grade beam

AAU - EiABC, Chair of Building Construction, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Oct, 2019
Pad foundation animation

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6. Foundation construction
4. Foundation construction: (b) Strip foundation

A minimum of 90cm depth is recommended for a stable strip

foundation

Trench excavation Strip with mass concrete Reinforced strip

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AAU - EiABC, Chair of Building Construction, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Oct, 2019 74
6. Foundation construction
4. Foundation construction: (c) Mat foundation

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 Flat mat foundation

A slab reinforced with layers (bottom and top) of closely spaced bars oriented
at right angles to each other (mesh) .
To avoid construction joints, the entire slab may be poured in one operation

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 Flat mat foundation

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 Flat mat foundation

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Flat mat foundation concreting

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 MAT_ Ribbed at bottom

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AAU - EiABC, Chair of Building Construction, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Oct, 2019 82
 MAT_ Ribbed at top

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 MAT_ Ribbed at top

Selected material fill

Compacted earth

AAU - EiABC, Chair of Building Construction, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Oct, 2019 AutoCAD 84file
AutoCAD file

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6. Foundation construction
4. Foundation construction: (d) Pile foundation

1. Displacement: type of construction; driven (hammered or

jack-in) into ground.

2. Replacement (bored) type of construction: cast in holes

that are augured (drilled) into the ground.

‒ with casing and without casing.

‒ Customized on site, Less noise, less vibration, ……

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6. Foundation construction
4. Foundation construction: (d) Pile foundation

Displacement type of construction; hammering precast pile

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6. Foundation construction
4. Foundation construction: (d) Pile foundation

Replacement type of construction: with casing (removable

form) and without casing.

‒ With casing (form ) and without casing.

‒ Cast / Customized on site,

‒ Less noise, less vibration, ……

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 Drilling machine required

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 Replacement _ with casing

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AAU - EiABC, Chair of Building Construction, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Oct, 2019 91
 Replacement _ without casing

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AAU - EiABC, Chair of Building Construction, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Oct, 2019
AutoCAD file

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 7. Common mistakes in local
construction practice

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Lideta Site

AAU - EiABC, Chair of Building Construction, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Oct, 2019
Construction without earth retaining
mechanism

Critical Overview, Churchill Road

AAU - EiABC, Chair of Building Construction, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Oct, 2019
LIST OF SELECTED REFERENCE

o Greeno, Roger, - “Principles Of Construction”

o Illingworth, J.R, - “Construction Methods And Planning”
o Allen, Edward – “Fundamentals Of Building Construction,
Materials & Methods”
o Fullerton. – “Building Construction In Warm Climates”
o Ramse/Sleeper -“Architectural Graphic Standards” 7th Ed.
o Merrit, Frederic, et al - “ Building Design And Construction
Handbook”
o Belay, Tariku, Dr.- “ Building Construction I”
o Chudley, R - “ Building Construction Handbook”
o Ching, Francis - “ Building Construction Illustrated” 3rd Ed.
o Internet sources

AAU - EiABC, Chair of Building Construction, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Oct, 2019
ASGEDOM H., EiABC, 2010
THANK YOU !

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