Types of foundations in construction

Asha Bogenfuerst Asha Bogenfuerst
House Exterior, Pixel Works Pixel Works Modern houses
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The foundation of a house is very important as it serves to shift the weight of the building to the ground. A building usually requires several individual foundations below all the main columns. In this article we will explain the most popular types of foundations in buildings.

Basically, there are two different types of foundations – shallow foundations and deep foundations. The depth of the soil determines whether it's a shallow or deep foundation. Shallow foundations should only be used for small or light buildings and can sometimes be even made in a depth of 1 meter. Deep foundations are required for larger and heavier buildings and should have a depth of at least 20 to 70 meters, depending on the weight and size of the house or building.

Shallow foundations

Shallow foundations are made by digging out all the soil till the bottom of the footing. Next, an open foundation is constructed. The goal is to make sure each individual foundation takes the weight of the column above it and transfers it over a large area. This is important because the weight of the soil should not be more than the safe bearing capacity of the soil.

Next, we will explain the 3 different types of shallow footings – individual footings, strip footings and raft foundations.

Individual footings

Individual footings are usually connected by a horizontal beam that is constructed at ground or below ground level. This type of foundation is relatively simple and very common. It's mainly used when columns carry the weight of the building. Thus, every column will have its individual footing. Basically the footing is pad of concrete that the column stands on. In order to estimate the size of the footing, the professional will divide the weight on the column by the safe bearing capacity of the soil. Many other factors will also need to be considered before the construction plan for the footing can be prepared.



Strip footings

Strip footings are used when walls rather than columns carry the weight of the building. Thus, strip footings help buildings to support the weight of entire walls.

Raft foundations

If you plan on constructing a basement, a raft foundation will usually be required. Basically, the entire basement floor will serve as the foundation so that the weight is transferred all over the building. This is also a recommended construction plan if the soil on the land is weak because the weight of the building is spread over a large area. For more such articles, read here.

Deep foundations

The most common type of deep foundations are pile foundations, which are essentially long cylinders of durable material like concrete that is buried into the ground in order to support the structures above it. Pile foundations are usually used when the soil is weak as they can carry heavier weights compared to spread footings. There are two types of pile foundations – end bearing piles and friction piles.

End bearing piles should rest on a later of strong soil or rocks so that the weight of the building is spread out through the pile onto the strong layer. The pile sort of serves as a column.

Friction piles, on the other hand, transfer the weight of the building to the ground through end bearing and friction. Basically, the amount of weight a friction pile can support is equal to its length.

We hope this article has been informative.

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