FOUNDATIONS IN HIGH RISE

BUILDINGS.
Every single building must be supported on a solid
foundation.
Types of foundations in High Rise Buildings?

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 Types of Foundation
• Foundation
– As a structural member that connects the superstructure
with the ground
– As a system member transferring loads to soils/rocks

• Foundation types
– Raft or Mat foundations
– Compensated raft foundations
– Piled foundations
– Piled Raft foundations

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 Raft or Mat Foundation
• A raft (mat) foundation to support the entire structure may be feasible for
buildings of moderate height. However, for very tall buildings, such a
shallow foundation may not be able to develop adequate resistance to
horizontal and moment loadings.
• Raft/mat foundations are relatively large in size; hence the foundation
vertical bearing capacity is generally not the controlling factor in the
design. The effects of lateral and moment loading should be incorporated
into the assessment of ultimate bearing pressure. Soil stiffness is
important in the raft/mat design to understand load distribution in the mat
and for evaluating bending moments and shears in the raft.
• For rafts founded on rock, the bearing
capacity is highly dependent on factors
such as the intensity and orientation of
joints, degree of weathering and other
local or general defects.

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 Compensated Raft Foundation

• Tall buildings very frequently have one or more basements to

cater for car parking and/or commercial and retail space.
• In such cases, the construction of the raft involves excavation of
the soil prior to construction of the foundation and the
superstructure.
• Because of the stress reduction in the underlying ground caused
by excavation, the net increase in ground stress due to the
structure will be decreased, and hence it may be expected that the
settlement and differential settlement of the foundation will also
be decreased.
• The resulting foundation is termed a compensated or buoyancy
raft, and can be very beneficial when constructing buildings on
soft clay or loose sand, as the settlements that occur can be
significantly less than those if the foundation was located at or
near the ground surface.
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 Compensated Raft Foundation
Figure 6.7 indicate that the net pressure increase in the soil under a mat foundation can
be reduced by increasing the depth of the mat. This approach is generally referred to as
compensated foundation design and is extremely useful when structures are to be built
on very soft clays. I this design, a deeper basement is made below the higher portion of
the superstructure, so that the net pressure increase in soil at any depth is relatively
uniform.

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Pile Foundations- Bored Piles or Drilled Shafts
• Drill cylindrical hole, install reinforcement cage, and pour concrete

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Bored Piles- Reinforcement Cage

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 Pile Foundation- Driven Piles
• Prefabricated members driven into ground

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Pile Foundation- Jacked Piles

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Bored Pile Construction- Grab & Chisel

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 Bored Pile Construction- Drilling in Rocks

A 2.3 m diameter drill bit

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 Piled Raft Foundation
• Many high-rise buildings are constructed with thick basement slabs. When
piles are used in the foundation it is generally assumed that the basement
slab does not carry any of the foundation loads.
• In some cases, it is possible to utilise the basement slab, in conjunction
with the piles, to obtain a foundation that satisfies both bearing capacity
and settlement criteria.
• A piled raft foundation is a composite system in which both the piles and
the raft share the applied structural loadings.
• Within a conventional piled foundation,
it may be possible for the number of
piles to be reduced significantly by
considering the contribution of the
raft to the overall foundation capacity.
• In such cases, the piles provide the
majority of the foundation stiffness
while the raft provides a reserve of
load capacity.

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Points to be taken in to consideration while
designing foundations for high-rise buildings:
1.Ultimate capacity of the foundation under vertical, lateral and moment
loading combinations.
2.The influence of the cyclic nature of wind, earthquakes and wave
loadings (if appropriate) on foundation capacity and movements.
3.Overall settlements.
4.Differential settlements, both within the high-rise footprint, and
between high-rise and low-rise areas.
5.Possible effects of externally-imposed ground movements on the
foundation system, for example, movements arising from excavations
for pile caps or adjacent facilities.
6. Earthquake effects, including the response of the structure-foundation
system to earthquake excitation, and the possibility of liquefaction in the
soil surrounding and/or supporting the foundation.
7. Dynamic response of the structure-foundation system to wind-induced
(and, if appropriate, wave) forces.
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 Problems Related to High Rise Buildings
 The building weight, and thus the vertical load to be supported by the
foundation, can be substantial. Moreover, the building weight increases non-
linearly with height, and so both ultimate bearing capacity and settlement
need to be considered carefully.
 High-rise buildings are often surrounded by low-rise podium structures
which are subjected to much smaller loadings. Thus, differential settlements
between the high- and low-rise portions need to be controlled.

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 Problems Related to High Rise Buildings
The lateral forces imposed by
wind loading, and the
consequent moments on the
foundation system, can be very
high. These moments can
impose increased vertical loads
on the foundation, especially on
the outer piles within the
foundation system. The
structural design of the piles
needs to take account of these
increased loads that act in
conjunction with the lateral
forces and moments.

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 Problems Related to High Rise Buildings

The wind-induced lateral loads and

moments are cyclic in nature. Thus,
consideration needs to be given to the
influence of cyclic vertical and lateral
loading on the foundation system, as
cyclic loading has the potential to
degrade foundation capacity and
cause increased foundation
movements.

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 Problems Related to High Rise Buildings

•Seismic action will induce additional

lateral forces in the structure and also
induce lateral motions in the ground
supporting the structure.

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Tube System

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Tube System

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Structural Wall Frame Structure

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Braced Framed System

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 Case Study
Taipei 101

Tallest building in the world from 2004-2010. 23

Case Study-Taipei 101

Overview:

Taipei 101 features a 508-meter,

• 101-story tower
• A five-story deep basement
• 61 elevators
• Most floor plan areas vary between 2000 and
2500 square meters (21,500 to 27,000 square
feet),
• Building aspect ratio (height/width) to the main
roof is about 9 based on its ‘waist’ (and 6.8
counting the wider base).
• Construction began in 1999
•Finished in 2004
•Cost $1.8 billion
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 Case Study- Taipei 101
Building Central Braced Core
Components and ● Resists Moments and Gravity Loads
System: Large Perimeter Mega-Columns
● Concrete Filled Steel Boxes - Reinforced by Moment
Frame
Outrigger Trusses
● 8 Segments of 8 Include a Story for Structure
Diagonals
● Through Occupied Space
Connections
● 5 Different Types
Typical Floor Framing
Plan - Lower Stories
(1st-26th)

CORE
Typical Floor Framing Plan - Upper Typical Floor Framing Plan - Lower
Stories (27th-91st) Stories (1st-26th) 25
 Case Study- Taipei 101
Foundation & Soil Type:
•660 feet away from a fault line

•21m deep basement

Groundwater usually 2m below the surface
Soft rock usually 40-50m below colluvial soils and clay

•2 Slurry Wall System

One around both the tower and the podium foundation
Second around just the tower foundation
•Drilled Piers

Continuous concrete matt transfers point loads

380 piers driven 262ft into the ground

5ft in diameter and can withstand 1100-1450 tons each

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 Case Study- Taipei 101

Foundation Detail:
One of the most stable
buildings ever constructed
Reinforced by 380 piles
driven 262 feet into the
ground
Each pile is 5 feet in
diameter and can
withstand a load of 1100-
1450 tons, that is
2,900,000 pounds each.

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 Case Study- Taipei 101
Foundation Depth 80m:

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 Case Study- Taipei 101
Reverse Circulation Pile:

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 Case Study- Taipei 101
FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION
STEEL PILES, REBAR, & CONCRETE:

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 Causes of Foundation Failures

1. Load transfer failures

2. Collapsible soils
3. Lateral loads
4. Construction error
5. Unequal support
6. Earthquake
7. Vibration effect
8. Foundation failure due to landslide/ slope
instability
9. Foundation failure due to uplift
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 Case Study- Shanghai, China
• An unoccupied 13-storeyblock
of flat building, still under
construction, at Minhang district
of Shanghai city toppled over.
• It ended up lying on its side in a
muddy construction field.
• One worker was killed in this
accident.
• Construction work on the block
appeared to have been nearly
completed, with windows fitted
and a tiled facade.
• Other identical blocks in the
same property development
were still standing nearby.
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 Case Study- Shanghai, China
Causes and Failure:

•The cause of the building collapse in Shanghai was due to a

pressure difference on two sides of the structure, according to an
investigation report.

•Improper construction methods are believed to be the reason of

the building collapse in Shanghai, according to a report from the
investigation team.

•The investigation team’s report said that workers dug an

underground garage on one side of the building while on the other
side earth was heaped up to 10m high, which was apparently an
error in construction.
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 Case Study- Shanghai, China

Two views of a toppled 13-storey apartment building that buried one worker in Shanghai on
27th June 09

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Case Study- Shanghai, China

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 Case Study

Preventive measures and

remedies
•There is no remedy for such
massive failures but definitely
preventive measures in terms of
“supported excavation system” for
“deep excavation problems” can
be adopted to avoid such failures
•Soil nailing is the latest and most
widely used technique for
supporting the vertical excavation
near an existing building.

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 Case Study
Conclusion from case studies:
•On the basis of an extensive ground investigation and a detailed
description of the ground, the foundation of high-rise buildings can
be planned in an economic and safe manner.

•The choice of the adequate system is often depending on the proof

of the serviceability of the high-rise building and / or neighboring
structures.

Sources
Case 1 -
a.https://www.tripsavvy.com/taipei-101-tower-facts-1458242
b.https://www.phase-trans.msm.cam.ac.uk/2005/t101/t101.html
Case 2 -
a.Dr. N. Subramanian; Rare Foundation Failure of a Building in Shanghai, China;
NBM&CW; AUGUST 2009.
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 Technology Advancement for Foundation

The factors that may influence the type of foundation selected to

support a tall building include the following:

1. Location and type of structure.

2. Magnitude and distribution of loadings.
3. Ground conditions.
4. Access for construction equipment.
5. Durability requirements.
6. Effects of installation on adjacent foundations, structures,
people.
7. Relative costs.
8. Local construction practices.

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 Technology Advancement for Foundation
The stability of foundation depends on:
1. The bearing capacity of soil
2. The settlement of soil beneath the foundation.

• Soil behaves in a complex manner when loaded, so it is

important to know about its bearing capacity.

• Improving Soil Bearing Capacity

•Increasing depth of foundation

•Compacting the soil
•Draining the soil
•Confining the soil
•Grouting
•Chemical Treatment
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 Technology Advancement for Foundation
Disadvantage of Piling:
1. Very Noisy
2. Causes Massive Vibrations through the soil

For this reason, it is sometimes difficult to use them in sensitive

locations. For example, if an operational hospital or science lab
is to be extended, driving piles would cause unwanted
disturbance.
Their use is also restricted in residential areas in many countries.
The vibrations could also cause structural damage to older
buildings that are close by.

In such situations it is possible to use micropiling or helical

piling, neither of which rely on hammering.
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 Technology Advancement for Foundation
Micropiles or minipiles are small piles that are constructed in the following
way:
Step 1: a hole a little larger than the pile diameter and the full length of the pile
is dug into the ground using an apparatus like a soil boring machine.
Step 2: a precast concrete pile is lowered or pushed into the hole.
Step 3: a concrete grout is poured into the gap between the pile and the earth.

Micropile construction sequence using casing

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 Technology Advancement for Foundation
MicroPile Details
There are a wide variety of installation
methods available and the method of
reinforcement can be in the form of:
1. Steel casing
2. Steel casing supplemented by
internal reinforcement
3. Heavy reinforcement without
casing
4. High capacity threaded hollow
bar members installed and
grouted during drilling.

Micropile maximum axial load

capacities of up to 2000kN can be
achieved.

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 Technology Advancement for Foundation
Positive features
• Can be Installed in Limited Headroom Positions
• Create minimum disturbance to adjacent structures
• Can be installed through existing footings

• Due to the high capacity steel reinforcing elements, micropiles have high
uplift load capacity and can be effectively used for tension structures
• Due to the wide range of installation methods available and the relevant
ease of penetrating boulders or hard rock formations, micropiles can be
economically installed in difficult ground conditions, e.g. Karstic
formations

• Micropiles can be utilised as soil reinforcing elements providing

significant economies in suitable soil conditions where the applied load
is shared between the base and the piles
• Micropiles can be installed as steeply raking piles providing significant
horizontal load capacity for a pile group

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 Technology Advancement for Foundation

Helical piles are steel tubes that have

helical (spiral) blades attached to them.
Also called screw piles.

These can be drilled into the ground,

meaning that the pile acts as a giant drill
bit, and is rotated and pushed into the
ground from above, much like a screw
drills into wood.
Once the steel pile is driven into the
ground, a pile cap is poured on top of the
pile to prepare it for the construction

Uses
1. Provide structural support
2. Underpin foundation

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 Technology Advancement for Foundation

Sustainability:

•Scew piles can be removed,

moved and reused.
•Unlike traditional dug-in
basements, screw piles are
minimally damaging the
landscape.

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 Technology Advancement for Foundation
Efficiency:
•Screw piles are quicker and
easier to install than traditional
concrete footings or foundations
•This means lower costs and less
downtime waiting for
foundations to be poured and
inspected.
•Sturdy and resistant to frost and
water damage, screw piles
provide excellent building
foundations in the long term,
even through building expansion
or addition.
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 Technology Advancement for Foundation
Positive features

•No tailing, rebar, anchor bolts or bore lining required.

•No concrete curing time required
•Do not have to dewater casing
•Can be installed in all weather conditions
•Single stage installation
•Reclaimed with minimum ground disturbance
•No additional wall thickness required to facilitate installation
•Usually requires shallower embedment depths
•Reduce material cost and faster install times.

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