Footing Example

Design a reinforced concrete footing to support a 20 in wide concrete wall carrying a

dead load = 26 k/ft, including the weight of the wall, and a live load = 20 k/ft. The
bottom of the footing is 6 ft below final grade. Use fc = 4000 psi, fy = 40 ksi and
allowable soil pressure = 5.0 k/ft2.

[1]
Calculate the effective soil pressure. Assume a total depth of footing = 20 in. Weight of
the footing
1 ft.
Wc  d  150 lb/ft 3 * 20 in. *  250 lb/ft 2
12 in.
The weight of the soil fill on top of the footing, assuming that soil weighs   100 lb/ft 2

 1 ft. 
Ws   s d s  100 lb/ft 3 *  6 ft  20 in. *   433 lb/ft 2
 
 12 in. 
Effective soil pressure at the bottom of the footing:

qeff  qs  Wc  Ws  5000 lb/ft 2  250 lb/ft 2  433 lb/ft 2  4317 lb/ft 2  4.32 k/ft 2

[2]
Calculate width of the footing for a 1-ft length of the wall.

total load 26. k/ft  20 k/ft

Width of footing    10.7 ft., use 11 ft.
effective soil pressure 4.32 k/ft 2
[3]

Ultimate load
Net upward pressure   for 1 - ft length 
footing width

Ultimate load = 1.4 DL + 1.7 LL = 1.4 (26 k/ft) + 1.7 (20 k/ft) = 70.4 k/ft

70.4 k/ft
Net upward pressure, q u   6.4 k/ft 2  for 1 - ft length
11.0 ft.
[4]
Check the assumed depth for shear requirements. The concrete cover in footings = 3 in.,
and assume #8 bars, then d = 20 in. –3.5 in. = 16.5 in. The critical section for one-way
shear is at a distance d from the face of the wall:

L c 
Vu    d
 
2 2 
 11 ft 20 in * 1 ft / 12 in.  1 ft  
 6.4 k/ft 2 *    16.5 in. *  
  
 2 2  12 in. 
 21.06 k/ft
Allowable one-way shear,   2 4000  126.5 psi

Vu 21.06 k/ft * 1000 lb/kip

Required d    16.32 in.

 2 fc b   
0.85 * 126.5 lb/in 2 12 in 
b = 1-ft length of footing = 12 in.

Total depth = 16.32 in + 3.5 in. = 19.82 in., so let it be 20 in.

Actual d =20 in. –3.5 in. = 16.5 in. (as assumed)

[5]

Calculate the bending moment and steel reinforcement. The critical section at the face of
the wall.
1  L c  6.4 k/ft 2  11 ft 20 in. *  1 ft / 12 in  
Mu  qu         70 k - ft / ft
   
2  2 2 2  2 2 
Mu 70 k - ft * 1000 lb/kip * 12 in.
Ru    257 psi
bd 2
12 in  * 16.5 in  2
From singly reinforce beams and fc = 4ksi and fy =40 ksi:
R
Ru  f c 1  0.59   0.59 2    u 0
fc

  257 psi  
1 1  4
 0. 59 
  

  4000 psi 
   0.06689
2 0.59 
 fy 0.06689 4 ksi 
 0.06689     0.00669
fc 40 ksi
The minimum steel percentage for flexural members
200 200
 min    0.005
fy 40000
Percentage of shrinkage reinforcement = 0.002. Therefore, use  = 0.00669 is calculated
which is greater than the minimum and the ACI Code section (10.5.3) on shrinkage.
As  bd  0.00669 * 12 in * 16.5 in.  1.32 in 2
Use #8 bar (0.79 in2) at 6 in spacing so:
 12 in. 

As  0.79 in 2 

   1.58 in 2

 6 in. 
[6]
Check development length required:

40000
l d  0.02 f y d b / f c  0.02 1.0 in   12.7 in
4000
The available length less the 3 in. cover at the end.
L c 132 in 20 in
ld    cover    3 in.  53 in.
2 2 2 2
This length is greater than the need length.
[7]
Shrinkage reinforcement must be provided in the longitudinal direction (min. = 0.002).
As  bd  0.002 * 12 in * 16.5 in.  0.48 in 2
Use # 5 bars (0.31 in2) at 7 in spacing.

 12 in. 

As  0.31 in 2 


  0.53 in 2

 7 in. 