FOOTINGS AND FOUNDATIONS

WHAT IS FOUNDATION AND FOOTINGS

A foundation is a structure that transfers loads to the earth. A footing is typically concrete and reinforced with steel. It is made to distribute the loading of the structure to a much larger area.

CATEGORIES OF FOUNDATION AND FOOTINGS

DEEP FOUNDATION SHALLOW FOUNDATION

SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS
are usually embedded a meter or so into soil One common type is the continuous spread footing Another common type is the wall footing Combined footing

WALL footing
Also known as Strip footing. It is commonly is used in houses This foundation is connected to the wall of the structure

COMBINED FOOTING
It is usually used when the footing is very close to the property line Transmits the loads from two or more columns to the soil.

CONTINUOUS SPREAD FOOTING

is commonly used to provide a stable base around the perimeter of a structure or building, supports the weight or load from the exterior or foundation walls. The footing thickness provides the strength to support the weight. The wider width of the footing base creates a large area to transfer the weight to the ground and to prevent settlement.

EXAMPLE OF CONTINUOUS SPREAD FOOTING

EXAMPLE SLAB-ON-GRADE FOUNDATION

DEEP FOUNDATION
are used to transfer a load from a structure through an upper weak layer of soil to a stronger deeper layer of soil. can be installed by either driving them into the ground (Driven foundation)or drilling a shaft and filling it with concrete, mass or reinforced (Drilled foundations). can be made out of timber, steel, reinforced concrete and pre-tensioned concrete.

DRIVEN FOUNDATIONS
Foundations relying on driven piles often have groups of piles connected by a pile cap (a large concrete block into which the heads of the piles are embedded) to distribute loads which are larger than one pile can bear. Pile caps and isolated piles are typically connected with grade beams to tie the foundation elements together; lighter structural elements bear on the grade beams while heavier elements bear directly on the pile cap.

DRILLED FOUNDATIONS
Also called drilled piers or Cast-in-drilledhole piles (CIDH piles) or Cast-in-Situ piles. Construction methods depend on the geology of the site (Dry and Wet boring methods). KINDS OF DRILLED FOUNDATION

DRY BORING METHOD

employ the use of a temporary casing to seal the pile bore through water-bearing or unstable strata overlying suitable stable material. Upon reaching the design depth, a reinforcing cage is introduced, concrete is poured in the bore and brought up to the required level. The casing can be withdrawn or left in situ.

WET BORING METHOD

also employs a temporary casing through unstable ground and is used when the pile bore cannot be sealed against water ingress. Boring is then undertaken using a digging bucket to drill through the underlying soils to design depth

KINDS OF DRILLED PILES

Underreamed Piles Auger Cast Piles Pier and Grade Beam Foundations Specialty piles

Underreamed Piles
have mechanically formed enlarged bases that have been as much as 6 m in diameter The form is that of an inverted cone and can only be formed in stable soils they allow very high load bearing capacities

Auger Cast Piles

often known as a CFA pile is formed by drilling into the ground with a hollow stemmed continuous flight auger to the required depth or degree of resistance

Pier and Beam Foundations

In most drilled pier foundations, the piers are connected with grade beams - concrete beams at grade (also referred to as 'ground' beams) - and the structure is constructed to bear on the grade beams, sometimes with heavy column loads bearing directly on the piers. In some residential construction, the piers are extended above the ground level and wood beams bearing on the piers are used to support the structure. This type of foundation results in a crawl space underneath the building in which wiring and duct work can be laid during construction or remodeling.

SPECIALTY PILES
MICROPILES TRIPOD PILES SHEET PILES SOLDIER PILES SUCTION PILES

MICROPILES
Micropiles, also called mini piles, are used for underpinning. Micropiles are normally made of steel with diameters of 60 to 200 mm. Installation of micropiles can be achieved using drilling, impact driving, jacking, vibrating or screwing machinery. Where the demands of the job require piles in low headroom or otherwise restricted areas and for specialty or smaller scale projects, micropiles can be ideal. Micropiles are often grouted as shaft bearing piles but nongrouted micropiles are also common as end-bearing piles.

EXAMPLE OF MICROPILE INSTALLATION

TRIPOD PILES
The use of a tripod rig to install piles is one of the more traditional ways of forming piles, and although unit costs are generally higher than with most other forms of piling, it has several advantages which have ensured its continued use through to the present day. The tripod system is easy and inexpensive to bring to site, making it ideal for jobs with a small number of piles. It can work in restricted sites (particularly where height limits exist), it is reliable, and it is usable in almost all ground conditions.

SHEET PILES
Sheet piling is a form of driven piling using thin interlocking sheets of steel to obtain a continuous barrier in the ground. The main application of steel sheet piles is in retaining walls and cofferdamns erected to enable permanent works to proceed.

SOLDIER PILES
Soldier piles, also known as king piles or Berlin walls, are constructed of wide flange H steel sections spaced about 2 to 3 m apart and are driven prior to excavation. As the excavation proceeds, horizontal timber sheeting (lagging) is inserted behind the H pile flanges. The horizontal earth pressures are concentrated on the soldier piles because of their relative rigidity compared to the lagging. Soil movement and subsidence is minimized by maintaining the lagging in firm contact with the soil.

SOLDIER PILES

SUCTION PILES
Suction piles are used underwater to secure floating platforms. Tubular piles are driven into the seabed (or more commonly dropped a few metres into a soft seabed) and then a pump sucks water out the top of the tubular, pulling the pile further down.