Structural Design of Spread Footings

Steps in square or rectangular spread footing design with a concentrically loaded

column and no moments are:
1. Compute the footing-plan dimensions B x L or B using the allowable soil
pressure. A rectangular footing may have a number of satisfactory solutions.
B
P
q
a

or
a
Bq
P
L
2. Convert the allowable soil pressure to an ultimate value for use in USD.
Obtain P
u
by applying appropriate load factors to the given design loading.
q
P
B
u
u

2
or
q
P
BL
u
u

3. Obtain the allowable two-way action shear stress and compute the required
effective footing depth.
( )
d v
q
d v
q
c BL c
q
c
u
c
u u 2 2
4 2 4
+

_
,

+ +

_
,

or
( )
d v
q
d v
q
c B c
q
c
u
c
u u 2 2 2
4 2 4
+

_
,

+ +

_
,

with
v f
c c
4 '
4. If the footing is rectangular, check wide beam shear or compute the required
effective depth for wide beam shear (use larger).
d
L c
v
q
c
u

+
2 2
1
with
v f
c c
2 '
5. Compute the required steel for bending and use the same amount each way
for square footings. Use the effective d to the intersection of the two bar
layers for square footings if d > 12 in. For d < 12 in. and for rectangular
footings use the actual d for the two directions. The bending moment is
computed at the critical section shown (face). Check the steel ratio verses
minimum and maximum steel ratios.
M
q B L c
u
u

_
,

2 2 2
2
or
E
L
B

_
,

2
1
distribution
M
q L B c
u
u

_
,

2 2 2
2
6. Compute the column bearing and use dowels for bearing if the allowable
bearing stress is exceeded. Minimum dowels must always be provided. If
dowels are required, the length must be adequate for compression bond.
7. Detail the design.
Design of Square Spread Footings
Design a square spread footing using f
c
= 3
ksi and f
y
= 60 ksi on soil with and
allowable bearing pressure of 4.5 ksf. An
18-inch square column is concentrically
place on the footing with 295 kips of dead
load and 295 kips of live load.
Determine footing size from service load and
allowable soil pressure
( )
ft
ksf
k
q
P
B
a
45 . 11
5 . 4
295 295

+

ft B 5 . 11
Determine factored soil pressure for reinforced footing design
( ) ( )
( )
2 2
1.2 295 1.6 295
6.246 43.37
11.5
u
u
k
P
q ksf psi
B
ft
1 +
]

Determine effective depth of footing for two-way shear
( ) 4 ' 0.75 4 3000 164.3
c c
v f psi psi ( )
4 2 4
2 2 2 u u
c
u
c
q
c B c
q
v d
q
v d
,
_

+ +
,
_

+
( )
2 2 2
43.37 43.37 43.37
164.3 164.3 18 138 18
4 2 4
d d
_ _
+ + +

, ,
2
175.2 3348 202987 0 d d + 25.80 d in
26.5 d in
Determine effective depth of footing for one-way shear
( ) 2 ' 0.75 2 3000 82.16
c c
v f psi psi
138 18
2 2 2 2
20.73 26.50
82.16
1 1
43.37
c
u
L c
d in in
v
q

<
+ +
Determine required flexural reinforcing
( )
2 2
43.37 138
138 18
10773910 897.8
2 2 2 2 2 2
u
u
q B B c
M lb in k ft
_ _


, ,
( )
2 2
10773910
123.5
0.9 138 26.5
u
n
M
R
Bd

( )
60000
23.53
0.85 ' 0.85 3000
y
c
f
m
f

( ) 2 23.53 123.5
2 1 1
1 1 1 1 0.0021107
23.53 60000
n
y
mR
m f

_ _


, ,
( )
2
0.0021107 138 26.5 7.719
s
A Bd in in in
2
0.6712 /
s
A in ft
min
200 200
0.003333
60000
y
f

since <
min
increase
1
/
3

4 4
0.0021107 0.0028143
3 3

(
4
/
3
) <
min
use (
4
/
3
) or
( )
2
0.0028143 138 26.5 10.29
s
A Bd in in in
2
0.8950 /
s
A in ft
Select appropriate reinforcing for exterior crack control and 2-in clear cover using
Reinforcement 15 and Reinforcement 11 (cracking.xls)
#6@5 in o.c. or 24#6s ea. way 11-6 x 11-6 x 30 in deep footing