Concrete Foundation Information And Different Types

By Christine Stone


Foundations are an element of architectural structure which connects then transfers structural loads to the ground. These are considered generally as either deep or shallow with rock and soil mechanics applied when designing them. Supporting small light buildings uses shallow foundations while supporting large heavy structures uses deep ones.

Open or spread footings are what shallow ones are also called because of their visibility when the earth is excavated first fully until its bottom during construction. Each Kennebunk concrete foundation would then ideally spread the entire load on its footing over a larger area taken from the column. Weight on soil is prevented in exceeding its safe bearing capacity.

These foundations must get protected in cold climates from freezing because the water around them could damage them by freezing and expanding. They have to be build beneath frost line or the ground level above that freezing happens. If it is not possible, an insulation should protect them which is a small heat permeating from that building into the ground to prevent freezing.

Shallow footings have several types and one of them is individual footings which the columns carry the building load. Every column has their own footing which is either a square or rectangular tablet of concrete that it sits on. The size pads are dependent on the load. The columns are usually connected by horizontal plinth beam together and is built either below or at the ground level.

Another example is strip footings which are common in masonry constructions that bears load acting as long strips supporting the weight. These are for the time when walls are used in carrying building loads rather than separated columns. Small strip of concrete is placed into a trench and steel is used to reinforce them.

Another one are raft foundations commonly used when basements would be constructed and the floor slabs will act as its foundation. Building weight is spread evenly over the entire footprint which looks like a structure floating in soil hence naming it raft. They are used if the ground is weak so it can spread the load on large area.

The next ones are pile foundations which are made from concrete and other strong materials and are long cylinders being pushed into the ground for supporting the structures above. One of the situations to use them are when a weak soil is there that could not support weight so bypassing this layer would be needed. Another situation is for the high rise structures that have heavy concentrated loads.

End bearing pile is one of its two types where the bottom rest on a specially strong soil and rock layer. The piles are acting like columns because the loads are transferred through it into the strong layer to bypass the weak one. The key principle of it is that it rests on the intersection of weaker and stronger layers.

Friction piles are another one where the entire weight is transferring across its full height by friction. It can support more when the buried depth is greater. The quantity of weight this could support is directly proportional to the length.




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