Foundation engineering

Course 1
February 2010

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from The Code of Hammurabi, Babylon, 1700B.C.

228 - If a builder build a house for some one and complete it, he shall give him a fee of two shekels in money for each sar of surface. 229 If a builder build a house for some one, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built fall in and kill its owner, then that builder shall be put to death. 232 If it ruin goods, he shall make compensation for all that has been ruined, and inasmuch as he did not construct properly this house which he built and it fell, he shall reerect the house from his own means.
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definition

Foundation represents the structural part that:

connects the construction to the ground, take over the loads from the structure and deliver them safely to the ground.

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A structure is no stronger than its connections

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Foundation engineer should be multidisciplinary

Structural engineering Geotechnical engineering Construction engineering

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adaptation of the term

foundation engineering

Structural engineering is the art of

moulding materials we do not fully understand into shapes we cannot precisely analyze to resist forces we cannot accurately predict,

all in such a way that the society at large is given no reason to suspect the extent of our ignorance.

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Design methods in

foundation engineering

A mixture of
Rational
and

technics
technics

Empirical

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Factors of safety

have been introduced to develop reliable and economical designs in a timely and efficient manner.

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Factors of influence over design safety factors

Required reliability (acceptable probability of failure);

Consequence of a failure;

Uncertainties in soil properties and applied loads;

Construction tolerances; Ignorance of the true behaviour of foundations; Cost-benefit ratio of additional conservatorism in the design.
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Factors of safety in foundation design are greater than in the superstructure design

Extra weight can be a benefit; Construction tolerances in foundations are wider than those in superstructure; Uncertainties in soil properties introduce significantly more risk; Foundation failures are most costly than failure in superstructure.
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Classification

of foundations is based on several criteria

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Depending on the foundation depth:

Shallow foundations;

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Deep foundations.

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NP 112/2004

Structure + basement + foundation + soil= structural system

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Depending on the rigidity

rigid foundation

flexible foundation

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 depending on the technology

Monolith

Pre-cast

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Loads from the structure

Designing infrastructure is entirely conditioned by the complete structure analysis.

Loads delivered to the infrastructure are established in both service/fundamental and ultimate/special groupings.

Any failure mechanism according to the special groupings of loads is restricted only within the structure.
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Limit States in Foundation Design

EQU loss of equilibrium as a rigid body STR failure of the structure (foundation body) controlled by material strength GEO failure of the ground controlled by soil resistance UPL failure by uplift controlled by water pressure (buoyancy) HYD hydraulic heave soil erosion related to hydraulic gradients

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Dimensions of the footing geotechnical design

Are established so that the contact pressures on the footing have acceptable values, to prevent developing of any limit states, endangering the safety or service of the construction.
Limit states within foundation soil can be regarded as the followings:

Ultimate Limit State (ULS) Service Limit State (SLS)

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Pressure Setllement dependency

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Acceptable pressures are considered to be:

a conventional pressure pconv; a pressure to comply with the restrictions regarding the SLD.U and SLD. EN; a pressure to comply with the restrictions regarding the SLCP;

All these pressures are established based on both construction and soil characteristic features

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Selection criteria to assess limit states for the foundation soil and the corresponding acceptable pressure STAS 3300/2-85 i N.P. 112-04

Teren de fundare

Caracteristici construcie

Caracteristici aciuni

Dup restricii la Pmnt Dup importan Dup sensibilitatea la deformaii n tasri difereniale Stari limita coeziv exploatare Difici Aciuni H Aciuni H presiuni Bun saturat l / V < 0,1 / V 0,1 acceptabile (TB) ncrcat Nesensibil Sensibil la Fr Cu (TD) (AO) (AS) rapid Obinuit Special la tasri tasri restricii restricii (CO) (CS) (PC) (CNES) (CSEN) (CFRE) (CRE)
pconv

S.L.D.U. S.L.D.U. S.L.D.U. S.L.D.U. S.L.D.E.N. S.L.C.P. S.L.C.P. S.L.C.P.

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Flow chart of assessing the foundation soil STAS 3300/2- 85 & N.P. 112-04

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