Foundation

Selection of an appropriate
foundation
Factors Considered for Selection of
Foundation Type
• Economy
• Importance of the Building
• Life of the Structure
• Loads from superstructure
• Type of construction materials to be used.
• Water table level.
• Type of adjoining structure.
• Ground/soil conditions
• Location of building
Selection of foundation based on different types of
soil
Foundations are recommended based on the different soil types:

Hard soil (rocks, hard sound chalk, sand and gravel, sand and gravel with little
clay content, and dense silty sand)

Uniform firm and stiff clay

Soft soils (soft clay, soft silty clay, soft sandy clay, and soft silty sand)

Peat
 Hard soils
The following types of foundations are suitable for this type of soil:
 Strip foundation

 Pad foundation

 Raft foundation.

 Factors need to be considered

The following factors shall be taken into account while foundation type is
selected:
 Minimum depth of 450 mm shall be used for foundation if the area prone to
frost so as to protect the foundation.

 Strip or trench base shall be kept above groundwater table if possible.

 Sand slopes possibly eroded by surface water, so protect foundation by

perimeter drainage.

 Weathered rock needs to be given proper attention

 Uniform firm and stiff clay
1. Where trees are cut down shortly before the foundation
construction begin:
Recommended foundation
Reinforced concrete pile in previously tree root zone

Strip foundation

Raft foundation

Factor needed to be taken into accounted

Piles shall be tied properly into suspended reinforced concrete slabs or ground beams.

Sufficient length of slab shall be provided to withstand clay heave force.

Special pile design may be needed for clay slopes greater than 1 in 10 because creep
possibly occur. In few cases, reinforced trench fill could be employed.
2. Where the foundation is not close to vegetation or existing vegetation is not
important.

Recommended foundations

• Strip foundation

• Pad foundation

• Raft foundation

Factors to be considered in this case are as follow

Minimum depth to underside of foundation shall be 900mm.

When strip foundation is construction in desiccated clay in dry soil, then the foundation

shall be loaded with building prior to the return of rains.

3. Where trees, hedges, and shrubs are close to foundation
location, or there is a plan to plant these trees near the structure
in the future.

Recommended foundation
• Concrete piles supporting reinforced concrete ground beams and precast
concrete floor

• Concrete piles carrying in situ concrete slab

• Specially designed trench fills in certain clay soil based on the foundation location
relative to trees

• Raft foundation
 Soft Soil:
This category includes soft clay, soft silty clay, soft sandy clay, and
soft silty sand.
Recommended foundations
• Wide strip footing
• Raft foundation
• Pile to firmer strata below
• For smaller projects use pier and beam foundation to firm strata
Factors to be considered
• Wide strip footing is used when bearing capacity is sufficient and
predicted settlement is acceptable.
• Strip footing shall be reinforced based on the thickness and projection
beyond wall face.
• Frequently, Sub-soil can be improved using vibro treatment, and it
would an economical solution if employed in conjunction with strip or
raft foundation.
 Peat
Recommended foundations
• Concrete piles extended to the firm soil layer below
• For small projects, pad and beam foundation taken to firm strata blow.
• Raft foundation for the case where firm strata is not available at
reasonable depth but there is hard surface crust with 3-4m thick of
suitable bearing capacity.
Factors to be considered
• Pile types include bored cast in place with temporary casing, driven
cast in place, and driven precast concrete.
• Allow for peat consolidation drag on piles
• Special high grade and protection is likely to be required in aggressive
peats.
• If peat layer is shallow over firm layer of soil, dig it out and replace it
with compacted fill. For this, use raft or reinforced wide spread
foundation dependent on anticipated settlement.
• Frequently, Sub-soil can be improved using vibro treatment, and it
would an economical solution if employed in conjunction with strip or
raft foundation.
 Introduction
Ultimate bearing capacity: The load per unit area of the foundation at which shear failure in soil

occurs is called the ultimate bearing capacity.

Allowable bearing pressure: Net loading intensity on the soil at which the soil neither fails in shear

nor undergoes excessive or intolerable settlement

Foundation: Foundation is a part of structure which transfers loads from the structure to the ground.

spread footing mat foundation pile foundation

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Importance of bearing capacity

Source: Google images

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Methods for Determination of Bearing Capacity

Empirical Experimental
Analytical

Plastic Limit Analysis Pressuremeter

Limit
Equilibrium
Equilibrium

SPT Small scale Full scale

Method of Method Upper Lower
Moment of Force CPT 1g testing
bound bound

Centrifuge testing
 Principal Modes of Failure (Vesic, 1963)
1. General Shear Failure:
Sudden or catastrophic failure
Bulging on the ground surface adjacent to foundation

Well defined failure surface

Bulging on the ground surface

adjacent to foundation
Common failure mode in dense sand

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 Local Shear Failure:

Common in sand or clay with medium compaction.

Significant settlement upon loading.

Failure surface first develops right below the

foundation and then slowly extends outwards
with load increments.
Foundation movement shows sudden jerks first
(at qu1) and then after a considerable amount
of movement the slip surface may reach the ground.

A small amount of bulging may occur next to

the foundation.

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contd..
3. Punching Failure:
Failure surface does not extends beyond the
zone right beneath the foundation

Extensive settlement with a wedge shaped soil

zone in elastic equilibrium beneath the
foundation. Vertical shear occurs around the
edges of foundation.

After reaching failure load-settlement curve

continues at some slope and mostly linearly.

Common in fairly loose sand or soft clay

A small amount of bulging may occur next

to the foundation.
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Principal Modes of Failure

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 Bearing capacity

Bearing capacity is maximum load

that a soil can sustain without
failure.
Failure Mechanism
 ANALYTICAL METHODS OF DETERMINING
BEARING CAPACITY
1. The theory of elasticity—Schleicher’s method.

2. The classical earth pressure theory—Rankine’s method, Pauker’s method and Bell’s

Method.

3. The theory of plasticity—Fellenius’ method, Prandtl’s method, Terzaghi’s method,

Meyerhof’s method, Skempton’s method, Hansen’s method and Balla’s method.

 Prandtl’s Method and Terzaghi’s Method

(i) Prandtl’s theory is based on an assumed compound rupture surface, consisting of an

arc of a logarithmic spiral and tangents to the spiral.
(ii) It is developed for a smooth and long strip footing, resting on the ground surface.
(iii) Prandtl’s compound rupture surface corresponds fairly well with the mode of failure
along curvilinear rupture surfaces observed from experiments.
(iv)Although the theory is developed for a c – φ soil, the original Prandtl expression for bearing capacity reduces to zero when
c = 0, contradicting common observations in reality.
This anomaly arises from the fact that the weight of the soil wedge directly beneath the base of the footing is ignored in
Prandtl’s analysis.
Bearing Capacity Theory proposed By Terzaghi (1943)

Assumptions made in Terzaghi (1943) Theory

1. The problem is two-dimensional 2. The soil is homogeneous and isotropic

3. The soil is semi-infinite 4. Coulomb's law is strictly valid

4.The failure is by general shear 5. The load is vertical and symmetrical

6. The ground surface is horizontal 7. The principle of superposition is valid

8. The overburden pressure at foundation level is equivalent to a surcharge load

9. The base of the footing is rough

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Fellenius’ method, modified by Jumikis
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Thank
you