The Construction Zone #4: Building Foundation

A foundation is a very important structural element responsible for moving or passing loads from a building to the surface of the earth, making provision for support and stability. It is a compound or composite system that comprises walls, footings, and slabs, designed for the even distribution of weight and prevention of settlement, guaranteeing the longevity and safety of a building.

Hello my lovely and adorable Steemian friends; I say welcome to you to this edition of The Construction Zone where we discuss construction-related themes. Today we will be talking about "Building Foundation".

In residential construction and building construction in general, the foundation is an extremely important component that primarily functions as the base on which the structure is constructed or erected. Foundations support in bearing the weight of a structure and the occupants.

It carries an important role in passing to the ground the loads or weights from the building, making provision for stability, and keeping the building from settlement, shifting, or movement, as well as overturning forces.

Me in foundation work. Photoshoot with Infinix Note 7 Lite

Types of Foundations

Several types of foundations exist that are used in residential construction; each has unique advantages and disadvantages, as well as the kind of building it supports.

1. Shallow Foundations
   This type of foundation distributes loads to the ground close to the surface and is well-suited for lightweight buildings. The two main types of these foundations are:

   1. Spread footings: This is a shallow foundation made up of footings that stretches out to spread the load
   2. Mat foundations: This is a shallow foundation made up of a thick concrete slab covering the whole building's footprint.

2. Deep Foundations:
   These foundations are required and suited for heavier buildings or structures or when the soil is labile. These foundations pass loads to a consistent, deeper layer of soil or rock. Examples of these foundations are:

   1. Piles: These are lengthy, thin columns composed of steel, concrete, or timber that are forced into the ground for load transfer.
   2. Caissons: These types of deep foundations consist of hollow, large boxes built of steel or concrete that are descended into the ground in the formation of a foundation.

3. Slab-on-Grade Foundations:
   This is a category of shallow foundation that is made up of concrete slab directly poured on the ground.

Components of a Foundation

A normal or average foundation is made up of different major components:
• Footings:
Which is the lowest part of the foundation that passes loads to the soil.
• Walls:
This is the vertical part of the foundation joining the footings to the building.
• Slab:
This is the flat part of the foundation that forms the building's floor.
• Piers:
These are the standing columns supporting the foundation walls and passing loads to the footings.
• Drainage System:
This is a drain and pipe system that controls water off the foundation.

Me in my construction site. Photoshoot with Infinix Note 7 Lite

The stability and safety of a building are dependent on the strength or solidness of the foundation, making a strong foundation indispensable. When a foundation is weak or poorly constructed, it can result in settlement, cracks in the walls and floors, as well as collapse.

The spread footings foundation is required for a single-family home that has a moderate load on stable soil, while a mat foundation is required for a large warehouse that has heavy loads, and a slab-on-grade foundation is needed for office buildings that have a lightweight load as well as a simple design.

Deep foundations such as piles and caissons are suitable and required for skyscrapers in regions that have unstable soil and huge bridges and waterfront structures, respectively.

The Bottoms Line

The foundation is an extremely important part of residential construction and its design and construction call for meticulous consideration to make certain of the building's stability and safety.

Thanks for your time here