Foundations are a critical component of any building, providing structural support and transferring the building’s weight to the ground. With the vast number of building types and site conditions that exist, civil engineers need to understand the variety of foundations available to best suit the needs of a particular project. This article will review several types of building foundation including their benefits, components, and design considerations—to help civil engineers make informed decisions for the projects they manage.
The types of building foundations can be discussed confined to the following areas.
1. The Importance of a Good Foundation
2. The Different Types of Foundations
3. Shallow Foundations
4. Deep Foundations
5. Mattress Foundations
6. Pier Foundations
1. The Importance of a Good Foundation
No matter what type of building you are erecting, a sound foundation is key to the longevity and stability of your structure. The foundation must be able to bear the weight of the building, resist the loads imposed by the environment (such as wind and seismic activity), and provide a level surface on which to construct the rest of the building. A poorly designed or constructed foundation can cause serious problems, such as cracks in the walls, floors, and ceilings; doors and windows that don’t close properly; and, in extreme cases, collapse of the entire structure.
2. Different Types of Foundations for Houses
There are several different types of foundations that can be used, depending on the soil conditions at the building site and the loads that the foundation must support. Shallow foundations are typically used for small, light-weight structures, such as houses, that are not located in areas with expansive or unstable soils. Deep foundations are necessary for taller buildings and structures located in areas with poor soil conditions. Pile foundations are used when the soil is not strong enough to support the weight of the structure and must be anchored to a more solid substrate, such as bedrock.
3. Shallow Foundations
Shallow foundations are typically used for small, light-weight structures, such as houses, that are not located in areas with expansive or unstable soils. Shallow foundation systems are not as expensive as deep foundation systems, and they are easier to construct. However, shallow foundation systems are not suitable for all building types and site conditions.
Shallow foundation systems typically consist of a footing and a stem wall. The footing is a concrete pad that is wider than the stem wall and is poured separately. The stem wall is a concrete wall that supports the weight of the building and transfers the loads to the footing. The footing and stem wall are connected with reinforcement bars (“rebar”), which help to distribute the loads evenly and prevent the footing from spreading.
There are several different types of shallow foundation systems, including spread footing, strip footing, mat foundation, and slab-on-grade. Spread footing foundations are the most common type of shallow foundation. They are typically used for small structures, such as houses, that are not located in areas with expansive or unstable soils. Strip footing foundations are typically used for medium-sized structures, such as office buildings, that are located in areas with stable soils.
4. Deep Foundations
Deep foundations are necessary for taller buildings and structures located in areas with poor soil conditions. Deep foundation systems are more expensive than shallow foundation systems, but they are able to support greater loads and resist the effects of expansion and consolidation of the underlying soils.
Deep foundation systems typically consist of piles and a grade beam. Piles are long, slender columns that are driven into the ground to a sufficient depth so that they can support the loads imposed by the structure. Grade beams are horizontal beams that are typically cast on top of the piles. The grade beams help to distribute the loads imposed by the structure and resist the lateral forces exerted by the soil.
There are several different types of deep foundation systems, including end-bearing piles, friction piles, and strand piles. End-bearing piles are driven into the ground until they reach a layer of bedrock or other material that is capable of supporting the loads imposed by the structure. Friction piles are driven into the ground until they reach a depth where the soil has sufficient strength to resist the loads imposed by the structure. Strand piles are long, slender columns that are composed of multiple strands of cable or steel. Strand piles are typically used in areas where the soil has poor load-bearing capacity and is susceptible to expansion and consolidation.
5.Mattress Foundations
Mattress foundations are a type of shallow foundation system that is typically used for small, light-weight structures, such as houses, that are located in areas with expansive or unstable soils. Mattress foundations consist of a layer of concrete that is poured on top of the soil. The concrete is typically reinforced with steel mesh or wire fabric to prevent it from cracking.
Mattress foundations are designed to resist the effects of expansion and consolidation of the underlying soils. They are also designed to support the weight of the structure and to transfer the loads to the underlying soils. Mattress foundations are typically used in areas with soft soils, such as loess, that have a high water content.
6.Pier Foundations
Pier foundations are a type of deep foundation system that is typically used for taller buildings and structures located in areas with poor soil conditions. Pier foundations consist of a pier that is driven into the ground to a sufficient depth so that it can support the loads imposed by the structure. The pier is typically made of concrete, stone, or wood.
Pier foundations are designed to resist the effects of expansion and consolidation of the underlying soils. They are also designed to support the weight
of the structure and to transfer the loads to the underlying soils. Pier foundations are typically used in areas with poor load-bearing capacity and are susceptible to expansion and consolidation.
Conclusions
In addition to the above types of building foundation, there are other types of building foundation such as rubble foundations, verandial foundations, etc. that are used to construct the small houses that does not having the considerable loads. Consideration of the condition of the ground when selecting and designing the foundations are very important as they would not transfer the superstructure loads safely if constructed incorrectly.
