DESIGN OF SHALLOW

FOUNDATION
 Design of Shallow Foundation

 
Introduction

Shallow foundations are foundations where the depth of the footing () is

generally less than the width (B) of the footing.
If the soil conditions immediately below the structure are sufficiently strong
and capable of supporting the required load, then shallow spread footings can
be used to transmit the load.
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Advantages of using shallow foundation

Cost (affordable)
Construction Procedure (simple)
Materials (mostly concrete)
Labor (does not need expertise)
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Disadvantages of using shallow foundation

Settlement
Irregular ground surface (slope, retaining wall)
Foundation subjected to pullout, torsion, moment.
 Design of Shallow Foundation

When shallow foundation avoided :

When the upper soil layer is highly compressible and too weak
In the case of Expansive soils
In case of Bridge abutments and piers because of soil erosion at the ground
surface
Soils such as loess are collapsible in nature
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Types of Shallow Foundation

1. Strip footing
2. Spread or isolated footing
3. Combined footing
4. Strap footing
5. Mat or raft footing
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Types of Shallow Foundation

Spread footing
It is circular, square or rectangular slab of uniform thickness. Sometimes, it is
stepped or haunched to spread the load over a larger area. When spread footing is
provided to support an individual column, it is called “Isolated footing
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Types of Shallow Foundation

Strap footing
It consists of two isolated footings connected with a structural strap or a lever.
The strap connects the footing such that they behave as one unit. The strap
simply acts as a connecting beam. A strap footing is more economical than a
combined footing when the allowable soil pressure is relatively high and distance
between the columns is large.
 Design of Shallow Foundation
Types of Shallow Foundation
Combined footing
It supports two columns. It is used when the two columns are so close to each
other that their individual footings would overlap. A combined footing is also
provided when the property line is so close to one column that a spread footing
would be eccentrically loaded when kept entirely within the property line.
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Types of Shallow Foundation

Strip footing
A strip footing is another type of
spread footing which is provided for
a load bearing wall. A strip footing
can also be provided for a row of
columns which are so closely
spaced that their spread footings
overlap or nearly touch each other.
In such a cases, it is more
economical to provide a strip
footing than to provide a number of
spread footings in one line. A strip
footing is also known as
“continuous footing”
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Types of Shallow Foundation

Mat footing
It is a large slab supporting a
number of columns and walls under
entire structure or a large part of the
structure. A mat is required when the
allowable soil pressure is low or
where the columns and walls are so
close that individual footings would
overlap or nearly touch each other.
Mat foundations are useful in
reducing the differential settlements
on non-homogeneous soils or where
there is large variation in the loads
on individual column.s
 Design of Shallow Foundation
Types of Shallow Foundation
 Design of Shallow Foundation
Factors for depth of foundation
Bearing capacity of soil
Ground water table
Depth of frost action
Depth of volume change due to presence of expansive soils
Local erosion of soil due to flowing water
Underground defects such as root holes, cavities, mine shafts, etc.
Excavation, ditch, pond, water course, filled up ground
 Design of Shallow Foundation
Pressure Distribution Below Footings
The distribution of soil pressure under a footing depends on
Rigidity of footings
The soil type
The depth of foundation at level of contact between footing and soil.
 Design of Shallow Foundation
Principles of Design of Footings
The footing is designed using the followings procedure
The safe bearing capacity is determined using the different bearing capacity methods.
The footing is proportioned making use of the safe bearing capacity.
The maximum settlement of the footings is determined.
Angular distortion is determined between various parts of the structure.
The maximum settlement, the differential settlement and the angular distortion need
to be compared with the given allowable values.
If the values are not within the allowable limits, the safe bearing capacity is revised
and the procedure repeated.
The stability of the footing is checked against sliding and overturning.
 Design of Shallow Foundation
Proportional Footings For Equal Settlement
To reduce the differential settlement due to live load variations for footings
on fine-grained soils, it is desirable to proportional all the footings in such
a way that they have equal pressure under the service load.
The following procedure suggested by Peck et al (1974) is usually adopted
1.The dead load from each column, including the weight of the footing, is
determined.
2.The maximum live load to which each footing is subjected is determined.
3.The ratio of the maximum live load to dead load for each footing is
computed.
4.The footing that has the maximum live load to dead load ratio is taken as
the governing footing.
 Design of Shallow Foundation
  area of the governing footing is determined from the relation
The

5. The service loads for all the footings are determined.

6. The design bearing capacity of all the footing, except the governing footing,
is determined as under

7. The area of the other footings is determined as

 Design of Shallow Foundation
 
Design of strip footings
a) Plain concrete footings
plain cement concrete strip footings are provided when the loads are light and the
soil is good.
Design step:
Determine the footing width from the following relation

, where, =load per unit.; =allowable soil pressure.

If the actual width provided is different from the theoretical width, the actual pressure
is given by
,
 Design of Shallow Foundation
 
Design of strip footings
b) Reinforced concrete footings
If the footing carry heavy loads on weak soil reinforced is provided in the transverse direction.

Design step:
 Determine the allowable net soil pressure.

 determine the area of foundation

 Determine the factored net pressure

 Design of Shallow Foundation
 
Design of strip footings
b) Reinforced concrete footings
Design step:
 Determine the moment at the face of the wall. The design of the moment is
 Design of Shallow Foundation
 
Design of strip footings
b) Reinforced concrete footings
Design step:
 Check the diagonal shear or one way shear. The critical section for one way shear is located at
distance d from the face of the wall.

 Determine the one way shear force.

 Determine the design shear force.

 If <………….OK.
 Design of Shallow Foundation
 
Design of spread footings
Spread footings are used for distributing concentrated column loads over a large area so that
bearing pressure is less than or equal to the allowable soil pressure.

Design step:
 Determine the allowable net soil pressure.

 Determine the area of foundation

 Determine the factored net pressure

 Design of Shallow Foundation
 
Design of spread footings
Design step:
 Check the thickness for two way shear or punching shear.

 determine the ultimate shear force.

 Determine the

 If <………….OK.
 Design of Shallow Foundation
 
Design of spread footings
Design step:
 Check the thickness for one way shear or diagonal shear.
 Determine the ultimate shear force.

 Determine the

 If <………….OK.

Determine the moment

 Design of Shallow Foundation
 
Design of combined footings (Rectangular)
The design of a combined footings consists of selecting length and width of the
footings such that the centroid of the footing and the resultant of the column load
coincide.
The procedure consists of the following steps:
1. Determine the total column loads

2. Find the base area of the footings

(= allowable soil pressure)
 Design of Shallow Foundation
 
Design of combined footings (Rectangular)
3. Locate the line of action of the resultant of
the column loads measured from one of the
column.

4. Determine the total length of the footings.

)
5. Find the width of the footings
B
 Design of Shallow Foundation
 
Design of combined footings
(Rectangular)
6.As the actual length and width that are provided may be
slightly more due to rounding off, the actual pressure is given
by
(= actual area)
7.Draw the shear force and the bending moment diagrams along
the length of the footing.
8.Determine the bending moment at the face of the column and
the maximum bending moment at the point of zero shear.
9.Find the thickness of footing for the maximum bending
moment.
(Check the diagonal shear and punching shear as in the case
of an isolated footings.)
10.
Determine the longitudinal reinforcement for the maximum
bending moment.
 Design of Shallow Foundation
 
Design of combined footings (Trapezoidal)
Trapezoidal combined footings are provided to avoid eccentricity of loading with
respect to the base. Trapezoidal footings are required when the space outside the
exterior column is limited and the exterior column carries heavier load.
The procedure consists of the following steps:
1. Determine the total column loads

2. Find the base area of the footings

(= allowable soil pressure)
 Design of Shallow Foundation
 
Design of combined footings (Trapezoidal)
3. Locate the line of action of the resultant of
the column loads.

4. Determine the distance of the resultant from

the outer face of the exterior column.

A trapezoidal footing is required if

If a rectangular footing is provided.

If a strap footing is suitable.
 Design of Shallow Foundation
 
Design of combined footings
(Trapezoidal)
5. Determine the widths and from the
following equations.

6. Once the dimensions of and have been

found, the rest of the design can be done as in
the case of a rectangular combined footings.
 Design of Shallow Foundation
 
Design of strap or cantilever footing
A strap footing is required in the following two cases.
1. When , where is the distance of the resultant of columns loads from the
exterior face of the exterior column and L is the length of the footings.
2. When the distance between two columns is so large that a combined footings
becomes excessively long and narrow.
 Design of Shallow Foundation
Design of strap or cantilever footing
This is a special type of footing used for two columns. The two columns are
provided by two separate footings connected by a rigid beam called “strap
beam”.
 Design of Shallow Foundation
Design of strap or cantilever footing
Four assumptions are considered for strap footings design.
1. Footings should be proportioned for approximately equal soil pressures.
2. Strap beam must be rigid. This rigidity is necessary to control rotation of the
exterior footing.
3. The strap beam is weightless. It should be out of contact with soil so that
there are no soil reactions.
4. The interior footing is centrally loaded.
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Design of strap or cantilever footing

Summary of strap footing design is shown in the
following steps.
1. Proportion footing dimensions.
Sum moments about the center of the interior column
and obtain the soil reaction beneath the exterior footing.

Sum moments about the center of the exterior footing

and obtain the soil reaction beneath the other footing.
 Design of Shallow Foundation
 
Design of strap or cantilever footing
Summary of strap footing design is shown in the
following steps.
1. Proportion footing dimensions.

To solve these three equations assume a value of

eccentricity, e. Find and check equation (3).

,
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Design of strap or cantilever footing

Summary of strap footing design is shown in the
following steps.
1. Proportion footing dimensions.
Find the required area for each footings

,
If B is too large or too small compared to L can be
repeated until satisfactory dimensions are obtained. B1
should not be greater than 1.5 L1
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Design of strap or cantilever footing

Summary of strap footing design is shown in the
following steps.
2. Evaluate factored net soil pressure under the
footings.
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Design of strap or cantilever footing

Summary of strap footing design is shown in the
following steps.
3. Draw shear and moment diagrams.( L- direction )
 Design of Shallow Foundation
Design of strap or cantilever footing
Summary of strap footing design is shown in the following steps.
4. Find depth of concrete.
Estimate effective depth, d, for footing (1) by 3-way punching shear under
column (1) and for footing (2) by 4-way punching shear under column (2)
 Design of Shallow Foundation
Design of strap or cantilever footing
Summary of strap footing design is shown in the following steps.
5. Design footing reinforcement as a spread footing for both direction
a. Reinforcement in L-direction
Select the moments ( refer to moment diagram ) and estimate the required
reinforcement .
b. Reinforcement in B- direction
 Design of Shallow Foundation
Design of strap or cantilever footing
Summary of strap footing design is shown in the following steps.
6. Depth of strap beam
The shear is constant in strap beam. Assume that the width of the strap, b (with
the smallest of column 1 and 2 )
 Design of Shallow Foundation
Design of strap or cantilever footing
Home work
Design a strap footing to support two columns, shown in Figure of, spaced at a
distance of 6.0 m center-to-center. Column A is 300 mm × 400 mm below and
carries a dead load 500 kN and a live load of 300 kN. Column B is also 300 mm
× 500 mm in cross section and carries a dead load of 700 kN and a live load of
500 kN.
 Design of Shallow Foundation
Design of mat foundation
Introduction
A raft foundation is a large concrete slab used to interface one column, or more
than one column in several lines, with the base soil.
A raft foundation may be used where the base soil has a low bearing capacity
and/ or the column loads are so large that more 60 percent of the area is covered
by conventional spread footing.
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Design of mat foundation

Common Types of Mat Foundation
1) Flat plate
In this type of mat foundation, a mat of
uniform thickness is provided. This type is
most suitable when the column loads are
relatively light and spacing of column is
relatively small and uniform.
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Design of mat foundation

Common Types of Mat Foundation
2) Flat plate Thickened Under Columns
When the column loads are heavy, this type is
more suitable than the flat plate type. A
portion of slab under the column is thickened
to provide enough thickness for negative
bending moment and diagonal shear.
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Design of mat foundation

Common Types of Mat Foundation
3) Beam and Slab Construction
In this type of construction, the beam run in
two perpendicular direction and a slab is
provided between the beams. The columns
are located at the intersection of beams. This
type is suitable when the bending stress are
high because of large column spacing and
unequal column loads.
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Design of mat foundation

Common Types of Mat Foundation
4) Box Structures
In this type of mat foundation, a box structure
is provided in which the basement walls act
as stiffeners for the mat. This type of mat can
resist very high bending stress.
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Design of mat foundation

Common Types of Mat Foundation
5) Mat placed on Piles
The mat is supported on piles in this type of
constructions. This type of mat is used where
the soil is highly compressible and the water
table is high.
 Design of Shallow Foundation
Design of mat foundation
Net Pressure Caused by a Raft Foundation
The net pressure applied on a foundation may be expressed as
 Design of Shallow Foundation
 
Structural Design of mat foundation
Conventional Rigid Method
According to the American Concrete Institute Committee, the design of mats
should be done using the conventional method if the spacing of the columns in a
strip of the mat is less than meters.
Where,

The coefficient of subgrade reaction of a soil is the pressure required to produce

a unit settlement of a plate
 Design of Shallow Foundation
Structural Design of mat foundation
Conventional Rigid Method (Design step)
Step 1- Calculate the column loads
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Structural Design of mat foundation

Conventional Rigid Method (Design step)
Step 2- Determine the pressure on the soil, q,
below the mat at points A, B, C, D…. by
using the equation
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Structural Design of mat foundation

Conventional Rigid Method (Design step)
Step 2- Determine the pressure on the soil, q,
below the mat at points A, B, C, D…. by
using the equation
The load eccentricities, ex and ey , in the
x and y directions can be determined by using
x1, y1 coordinates:
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Structural Design of mat foundation

Conventional Rigid Method (Design step)
Step 3-Compare the values of the soil
pressures determined in Step 2 with the net
allowable soil pressure to determine whether
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Structural Design of mat foundation

Conventional Rigid Method (Design step)
Step 4- Divide the mat into several strips in
the x and y directions. Let the width of any
strip be B1 .
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Structural Design of mat foundation

Conventional Rigid Method (Design step)
Step 5- Draw the shear, V, and the moment,
M, diagrams for each individual strip (in the
x and y directions).
For example, the average soil pressure of the
bottom strip in the x direction, x1, of Figure
shown here is
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Structural Design of mat foundation

Conventional Rigid Method (Design step)
Step 5- The total soil reaction force is equal
to qavB1B.
Now obtain the total column load on the strip
as N1 + N2 +N3 +N4 .
The sum of the column loads on the strip
will not equal qavB1B, because the shear
between the adjacent strips has not been
taken into account.
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Structural Design of mat foundation

Conventional Rigid Method (Design step)
Step 6- The bending moment and the shear force are
drawn for the modified columns loads and the
modified average soil pressure.
 Design of Shallow Foundation

Structural Design of mat foundation

Conventional Rigid Method (Design step)
Step 7- Determine the effective depth d of the mat
by checking for diagonal tension shear near various
columns. (For punching shear).
 Design of Shallow Foundation
Structural Design of mat foundation
Conventional Rigid Method (Design step)
Step 8- From the moment diagrams of all strips in one direction (x or y), obtain
the maximum positive and negative moments per unit width (i.e.,Mu=M/B1).
Since factored column loads are used in accordance with ACI Code 318-14 (see
Step 6), Mu is the factored moment.
Step 9- Determine the area of steel per unit width for positive and negative
reinforcement in the x and y directions.