Foundation Design

Presentation Outline
Introduction
Functions of Foundations
Types of Foundation
Site Investigation and Sub – Soil Exploration
Causes of Foundation Failures and Remedial Measures
Essential Requirements of a Good Foundation
Foundation Design (RCF)
 Introduction
Buildings consist of Sub and Super Structure elements
Sub – Structure or Foundation – is the lower portion of the
building, usually located below ground level, and transmits the
load of the superstructure to the sub – soil
The soil which is located immediately below the base of the
foundation is called the Sub – Soil or Foundation Soil
Since it remains below ground level, the signs of failure of
foundation are not noticeable till it has already affected the
building
A foundation should be sufficiently strong to prevent excessive
settlement as well as unequal settlement
Unequal Settlement - might be caused due to weak sub soil,
shrinkable and expansive soil, frost action ground water movement,
excessive vibration, consolidation settlement or slipping of strata
 Functions of Foundations
Foundations serve the following purpose:
1. Reduction of Load intensity
2. Even Distribution of Load
3. Provision of Level Surface
4. Lateral Stability
• Against Sliding, and overturning due to Wind and EQ
5. Safety against undermining
• Against undermining or scouring due to burrowing
animals or flood
6. Protection against soil movements
• Special foundations to allow for sub – soil movements
 Types of Foundation
Types of Foundations can be classified into two:
A. Shallow Foundation
Spread Footing, Combined Footings, Strap Footings and Mat
Foundation
B. Deep Foundation
Deep strip, rectangular or square footing, Pile Foundation, Pier or
Drilled Caisson Foundation, and Well or Caisson Foundation
 Types of Foundation – Shallow Foundation

Shallow Foundation
Spread Footing
Combined Footings
Strap Footings and
Mat Foundation
 Shallow foundation

1. Spread Footing
Will spread the force over
a large area
There are different kinds:
Single Footing
Stepped Footing
Sloped Footing
Wall footing without step
Stepped footing for wall
Grillage foundation
Wall footing without step Stepped footing for wall
 Shallow foundation

Grillage foundation – Timber or Steel Stanchion

carrying heavy load in weak bearing capacity soils
 Shallow Fou…
2. Combined Footing
Support two or more columns
There are different kinds:
Rectangular
Trapezoidal
Combined Column
Design Criterion – Center of
Gravity of Columns shall
coincide with the centroid of
the footing
 Combined Footing for
Columns and Wall

Sometimes it may be
necessary to provide a
combined footing for
columns and wall
3. Strap/Cantilever
Footings
If independent footings of two
columns are connected by a
beam
When the distance between
the columns is wide and with
high bending moments
Strap beam will not transfer
loads, it will be assumed to be
stiff enough to result in uniform
pressure under each footing
 Cont….

4. Mat Foundation
Mat is combined footing that
covers the entire area beneath
a structure and supports all the
walls and columns.
Used when the bearing
capacity of the soil is low or
when there is a compressible
layer , erratic strata prone to
differential settlement
There are different types
Solid Slab
Beam Slab
Cellular System
 Types of Foundation – Deep Foundation
Deep strip, rectangular or square footing, Pile
Foundation, Pier or Drilled Caisson Foundation,
and Well or Caisson Foundation
Strip, rectangular or square footings come
under the category of deep foundation, when
the depth of the foundation is more than the
width of the footing
Well foundations are used in bridge piers
 Deep F..
1. Pile Foundation
Use vertical members made of
steel, timber or concrete
Use skin friction and end
bearing resistance
Adopted when
No firm bearing strata exists in
a reasonable depth
When pumping of sub – soil
water would be too costly or
timbering to excavations too
difficult
 Pile foundation
Types of Pile Foundation
End Bearing
Used for multistory buildings
to minimize settlement
Friction
Used in granular soil
Combined End bearing
and Friction pile
Compaction pile
Used to compact loose
granular soil
Don’t carry loads by
themselves and thus can be
made of soft materials
 Deep…
2. Pier Foundation
Consists of a cylindrical column of
large diameter to support and
transfer large loads
The difference with pile is
method of construction
Pier foundation uses only bearing
and has shallow depth
When there is a close hard rock
strata and stiff clay
Types
Masonry or Concrete Pier
Drilled Pier
 Deep….
3.Well Foundation
(Caissons)
Are box like circular or
rectangular structure which are
sunk from the surface either by
dead load or water to the
desired depth
Larger in diameter to pier or
drilled caissons
Used in bridge piers, abutments
in rivers and lakes, docks, break
water and other shore
structures, pump houses and
water front structures
 Site Investigation and Sub – Soil Exploration
Since foundation are to be based in sub – soils, sufficient
investigation of the sub – soils is a must
Sub – Soil Investigation is carried out for
New Structures
Selection of type and depth of foundation
Determination of Bearing Capacity
Prediction of settlement
Determination of Ground water level
Evaluation of earth pressure against walls, basements
and abutments
Provision against construction difficulties
Suitability and degree of compaction of soil
 Site Investigation

Sub – Soil Investigation is carried out for

Existing Structures
Investigation of the safety of the structure
Prediction of Settlement
Determination of remedial measures – Unsafe structure or in
case of detrimental settlement
SITE RECONNAISSANCE
Inspection of the site and study on topographical features is
often helpful
Following features shall be studied: -
Local Topography, excavations, cuttings, quarries, evidence of
land slide, fills, water level and drainage patters
 SITE EXPLORATION
Objective – to provide a reliable, specific and
detailed information about the soil and ground water
conditions for safe and economic design of
foundations
Depth of Exploration
Depth (Significant Depth) shall be up to the level where the
pressure increase will cause settlement or shear failure of
foundations
Depends on the type of structure, its weight, size, shape and
disposition of loaded areas, and the soil profile and its
properties
Assumed – One and Half to two times the width (smaller
of the lateral dimensions) of the loaded area
 Site Ex..

Directions
Adjacent footings with clear spacing less than twice the width – 1.5 times the
length
Pile Foundation – 10 to 30 m, or more, or at least 1.5 times the width of the
structure
Base of Retaining Wall – greater of 1.5 times the base width or 1.5 times the
exposed height
Floating Basement – Depth of Construction
Weathering Considerations – 1.5 m in general and 3.5 m in black cotton soils
Min Depth – 1.5 m
Methods of Exploration
1. Open Excavation
2. Borings
3. Sub – Surface Soundings
4. Geo – Physical Methods
 Methods of Exploration

1. Open Excavation
Trail pits are the cheapest
methods in shallow deposits
Advantages – Soil Strata can be
observed and samples (disturbed
or undisturbed) can be
conveniently taken
Suitable up to 3m depth
For greater depths and for
excavation below ground water
table, specially in pervious soils,
measures for lateral support and
ground water lowering is
necessary
 Methods of Exploration

2. Boring Methods
Commonly used
Auger boring
Auger and Shell boring
Wash boring
Percussion boring
Rotary boring
A. Auger boring
Used in cohesive and other soft soils
above water table
Operate mechanically or manually
Hand augers are used up to 6m
Two types Spiral or Post Hole
 Boring

B. Auger and Shell boring

Cylindrical augers and shells with
cutting edges at lower end
 Hand operated up to 25 m and
 mechanized rigs up to 50 m
Suitable for soft to stiff clay, shells for
very stiff and hard clay, and shells or
sand pumps for sandy soils
Small boulders, thin soft strata or rock
or cemented gravel can be broken by
chisel bits attached to drill rods
 Boring
C. Wash boring
Is fast and simple method for
advancing holes in all types of
soils (except for boulders and
rock)
Steps
Driving a casing with hollow
drilled rod with sharp chisel or
chopping bit
Forcing water under pressure
Resulting in Chopping and jetting
action
Forcing the cutting up ward and
reviewing the color of wash
Boring Methods

D. Percussion boring
Soil and rock formations are broken by repeated blows of heavy
chisel or bit suspended by a cable or drill rod
Water is added to the hole during boring
Suitable for advancing a hole in all types of soils, boulders and rock
E. Rotary Boring
Very fast method
A drill bit is rotated with firm contact to the bottom of the hole
A water solution of bentonite, with or without admixtures is
continuously forced down
The mud coming up wards bring the cuttings to the surface
Core Boring or Core Drilling – commercial diamond – studded bits
 Record of Borings
Accurate and explicit
record of borings shall be
kept
Soils/Rock collected shall
be properly preserved and
arranged serially according
to the depth at which they
were found
Boring Chart
Site Plan showing location
of bores
 3. Sub – Surface Soundings

Sounding methods consist of measuring the resistance

of the soil with depth by a means of PENETROMETER
under static and dynamic loading.
The Penetrometer may consist of a sampling spoon, a
cone or other shaped tool.
The resistance to penetration is empirically correlated
with some of the engineering properties of soil, such as
density index, consistency, bearing capacity etc.
Used for general test by experts
Commonly used methods:
Standard Penetration Test
Cone Penetration Test
 4. Geo – Physical Methods

Geo Physical methods are used

when the depth of exploration is
very large, and also the speed of
investigation is of primary
importance
Were developed in connection
with prospecting of useful
minerals and oils
Methods
Gravitational Methods
Magnetic Methods
Seismic Refraction Method
Electrical Resistivity Methods
 Soil Exploration

Choice of Exploration  Soil Samplers

Methods Thick Wall
Nature of Ground Thin Wall
Topography  Mode of Operation

Cost Open Drive Sampler

Soil Samples and Samplers Stationary Piston
Soil Samples Sampler
Disturbed Samples Rotary Sample
Undisturbed Samples
 Causes of Foundation Failures and Remedial
Measures
Foundations may fail due to the
following reasons:
Unequal Settlement of Sub –
Soil
Unequal Settlement of
Masonry
Sub – Soil moisture movement
Lateral Pressure on Walls
Lateral Movement of Sub –
Soil
Weathering of Sub – Soil due
to trees and shrubs
Atmospheric Action