TYPES OF FOUNDATIONS

In this article we will discuss the common types of foundations in buildings.

Broadly speaking, all foundations are divided into two categories:

1.  Shallow foundations

2.  Deep foundations.

 The words shallow and deep refer to the depth of soil in which the foundation is made. Shallow foundations  can be made in depths of as little as 3ft (1m), while deep foundations can be made at depths of 60 - 200ft (20 - 65m). Shallow foundations are used for small, light buildings, while deep ones are for large, heavy buildings.

SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS :
 

Shallow foundations are also called spread footings or open footings. The 'open' refers to the fact that the foundations are made by first excavating all the earth till the bottom of the footing, and then constructing the footing. During the early stages of work, the entire footing is visible to the eye, and is therefore called an open foundation. The idea is that each footing takes the concentrated load of the column and spreads it out over a large area, so that the actual weight on the soil does not exceed the safe bearing capacity of the soil.

There are several kinds of shallow footings :

1. Spread or isolated or pad footing
2. Strap footing
3. Combined footing
4. Strip or continuous footing
5. Mat or raft footing

 In cold climates, shallow foundations must be protected from freezing. This is because water in the soil around the foundation can freeze and expand, thereby damaging the foundation. These foundations should be built below the frost line, which is the level in the ground above which freezing occurs. If they cannot be built below the frost line, they should be protected by insulation: normally a little heat from the building will permeate into the soil and prevent freezing.

 1. What is Spread Footing or Isolated or Pad Footing?

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

2. What is Strap Footing?

It consists of two isolated footings connected with a structural strap or a lever, as shown in figure below. 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.

 

 

3. What is Combined Footing?

It supports two columns as shown in figure below. It is used when the two column 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. By combining it with that of an interior column, the load is evenly distributed. A combine footing may be rectangular or trapezoidal in plan. Trapezoidal footing is provided when the load on one of the column is larger than the other column.

 

4. What is Strip Footing or Continuous 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 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.

5. What is Mat or Raft 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 the individual columns.They are most often used when basements are to be constructed. In a raft, the entire basement floor slab acts as the foundation; the weight of the building is spread evenly over the entire footprint of the building. It is called a raft because the building is like a vessel that 'floats' in a sea of soil.
 

 

Raft footing

DEEP FOUNDATIONS :

A pile is basically a long cylinder of a strong material such as concrete that is pushed into the ground so that structures can be supported on top of it.

Pile foundations are used in the following situations:

1. When there is a layer of weak soil at the surface. This layer cannot support the weight of the building, so the loads of the building have to bypass this layer and be transferred to the layer of stronger soil or rock that is below the weak layer.
2. When a building has very heavy, concentrated loads, such as in a high rise structure.

Pile foundations are capable of taking higher loads than spread footings.

There are two types of pile foundations, each of which works in its own way.

End Bearing Piles :

In end bearing piles, the bottom end of the pile rests on a layer of especially strong soil or rock. The load of the building is transferred through the pile onto the strong layer. In a sense, this pile acts like a column. The key principle is that the bottom end rests on the surface which is the intersection of a weak and strong layer. The load therefore bypasses the weak layer and is safely transferred to the strong layer.

Friction Piles :

Friction piles work on a different principle. The pile transfers the load of the building to the soil across the full height of the pile, by friction. In other words, the entire surface of the pile, which is cylindrical in shape, works to transfer the forces to the soil. 

To visualise how this works, imagine you are pushing a solid metal rod of say 4mm diameter into a tub of frozen ice cream. Once you have pushed it in, it is strong enough to support some load. The greater the embedment depth in the ice cream, the more load it can support. This is very similar to how a friction pile works. In a friction pile, the amount of load a pile can support is directly proportionate to its length.


In practice, however, each pile resists load by a combination of end bearing and friction.

 

In the next article , i will show you the method of designing the foundations.