Chapter 1

Introduction
1.1 Purpose, importance, and types of foundation
Foundations are buried in the ground and hold buildings up. Foundation is the lowest part of the
building or the civil structure that is in direct contact with the subsoil.
Purpose/Functions of Foundation:
 To hold up the structure above it.
 To increase the lateral stability of the structure and to keeps safe for the people inside it.
 To distribute the weight of the structure over a large area evenly in order to avoid
overloading (possibly causing unequal settlement) the underlying soil with which it is in
direct contact.
 This load transferred to the soil should be within the allowable bearing capacity of the
soil.
 To protects the structure from natural disasters such as earthquake, flood and storms. A
well-designed foundation protects the structure as a whole.
 To prevent the structure from differential settlement effect of subsoil.
 To provide safety to the structure from the effects of undermining and scouring due to
the animals, flood water etc.
 To minimize cracks due to moisture movement in case of weak soils or soils with low
bearing capacity.

Importance of Foundation

i) Supports the structure

The foundation is buried in the ground underneath the structure. Its primary purpose is to hold the
structure. Without it, the structure would quickly sink into the ground unevenly, resulting in cracks
and damage. A properly built foundation will keep the home even and supported, even during a
flood or earthquake. But building a good foundation requires more than just digging into the
ground and pouring the concrete. It has to be properly tailored to the site. This involves taking into
account the geology, soil conditions, water table, and even the backfill. The base also needs to be
properly set, and compacted just right, while containing the proper materials to ensure that it can
hold the weight of your home and support it, even when the ground below changes.

ii) Resists Movement

Natural forces are always at work. Soil moisture levels frequently change, temperature fluctuations
impact the soil conditions, tectonic plates move below, and water tables can be altered below the
structure at any time. If the structure is not anchored to a foundation, it can crack, break apart, or
even be washed away by the natural forces at work. A sturdy foundation can resist any seasonal
movement that happens below and around sturdy. It will transfer the structure’s load to the
underlying soil or rock to prevent excess settlement or movement.
iii) Insulates the structure

Foundation can offer insulating properties to keep sturdy warm, even in the brisk cold climate. In
fact, a properly insulated basement can save money on heating bills. If the foundation does not
have insulation already installed, it can be added to the exterior or interior to reduce heat loss.

iv) Keeps Moisture Out

Moisture can quickly weaken and compromise the structure. When water collects around the
structure from rain and snow, it saturates the soil. Tree and plant roots can also distribute water
from above ground through the soil and towards the structure. This can cause the soil to expand
and shift, putting pressure on the foundation. A sturdy foundation and good drainage will keep the
water out of the basement, keeping the structure dry no matter the weather conditions. Damp-
proofing a foundation wall can also prevent moisture from passing through the concrete walls into
the interior basement space. Keeping water and moisture out from the basement will keep the
structure free of any toxic mold and structural damage.

v) Prevents Insect Infiltration

A strong and contained foundation will keep all the bugs and critters out of the structure that lives
under the soil. It will also separate the wood framing from the termites on the ground which can
wreak havoc. Without the proper foundation, the structure will be vulnerable to insects that can
cause some serious damage.
The structure will not last very long without the right foundation. And even if the foundation is
properly in place, even small cracks or signs of separation can indicate bigger problems that could
threaten the safety of your home. Many people neglect and forget to inspect and repair the
foundation, resulting in costly repairs down the road.

Types of Foundation

i) Shallow Foundation: According to Terzaghi, shallow foundation is one in which the

value of Df / B ≤ 1, where,
Df = Depth of foundation
B = Breadth of foundation
Types of shallow foundation
a) Spread Foundation
i. Strip footing
ii. Isolated footing
 Simple Pad Footing
 Stepped footing
 Sloped footing
 b) Combined footing
i. Trapezoidal combined
ii. Rectangular combined
c) Strap beam footing
d) Raft/Mat Foundation
e) Compensated / Floating Raft
f) Grillage Foundation
ii) Deep Foundation:
According to Terzaghi, deep foundation is one in which the value of Df / B > 1, where,
Df = Depth of foundation
B = Breadth of foundation
Types of Deep foundation
a) Pile Foundation
b) Pier Foundation
c) Caisson Foundation
i. Box Caisson
ii. Excavated caisson
iii. Open caisson (Well foundation)
iv. Pneumatic Caisson

Strip footing: Strip footings are commonly used as foundations of load-bearing walls. The footing
usually has twice the width as the load bearing wall, sometimes it is even wider. The width as well
as the type of reinforcement are depending on the bearing capacity of the foundation soil. (Fig. 1)
Isolated Footing: In general, isolated footing is basically a pad used to spread out column or
wall load over a sufficient large area. Depending on the shape of column, isolated footing may be
square, rectangular or circular. (Fig. 2)

Fig.1 Strip Footing (source: google .com) Fig.2 Isolated Footing (source: [Link])

Combined footing: It supports two or more columns. It may be rectangular or trapezoidal in plan.
A combined footing is provided under following circumstances:
 When the columns are very close to each other so that their individual footings may
overlap.
 When end of the column is near a property line so that individual’s footing cannot spread
the load in that direction.
 When the bearing capacity of soil is low requiring more area under individual footing.

Fig. 3 Combined Footing (source: [Link])

Strap beam footing: It consist of two or more isolated footing connected with a beam called strap
beam so that they behave as a single unit. The strap beam does not transfer any load/pressure to
the subsoil but helps to shear in all connecting footings. The provision of strap beam footing
generally becomes economical when the distance between two columns is large. The purpose of
strap beam is to prevent overturning of eccentrically loaded footings. It is also used when distance
between the two columns is so long that combined footing will be too narrow.

Fig. 4 Strap beam footing (source: [Link])

Raft/Mat Foundation: Raft foundation is actually a thick concrete slab resting on a large area of
soil reinforced with steel, supporting columns or walls and transfer loads from the structure to the
soil. Usually, mat foundation is spread over the entire area of the structure it is supporting.
Raft foundation is generally used to support structures like residential or commercial buildings
where soil condition is poor, storage tanks, silos, foundations for heavy industrial equipment etc.
Raft foundation is preferred when-
 The soil has a low bearing capacity.
 Load of the structure has to be distributed over a large area.
 Individual or any other foundation area would approximately cover 50% of the total
ground area beneath the structure.
 The columns or walls are placed so closely that the individual footings would overlap.
 Stress on soil needs to be reduced.
 There is a possibility of differential settlement in case individual footing is used.
 When soil strata are unpredictable and contain pockets of compressible soil.
 Basement is to be constructed.
 Any other type of footing cannot be used advantageously.

Deep Foundation
Pile Foundation: Pile foundation, a kind of deep foundation, is actually a slender column or long
cylinder made of materials such as concrete or steel which are used to support the structure and
transfer the load at desired depth either by end bearing or skin friction.

Fig.6 Pile Foundation (source: [Link]) Fig.7 Pier Foundation (source: google)

Pier Foundation: A pier foundation consist of a cylindrical column of large diameter to support
and transfer large superimposed loads to the firm strata below. A cast-in-situ pile greater than 0.6
m diameter is generally termed as a pier.
Caisson or Well Foundation: The term caisson is derived from the French word “CAISSE” which
means a chest or box. Caisson has come to mean a box like structure, round or rectangular in shape
which is sunk from the surface of either land or water to some desired depth. It is a form of deep
foundation.

Fig.8 Caisson or Well Foundation (source: google search)

1.2 Factors affecting choice of foundation

There are many other important factors that one should consider before choosing a foundation
system for a particular structure. Those factors are briefly noted below:
 Loads from superstructure
 Water table level.
 Soil condition (i.e. soil type and its state)
 Type of construction materials to be used.
 Type of adjoining structure.
 Location of building
 Life of the Structure
 Importance of the Building