Building foundations transfer the weight of a structure to the ground and come in various designs. Shallow foundations are used for small to medium-sized homes, while deep foundations are used for larger buildings. Engineers must consider weight, settlement, and scrape when designing foundations, and in colder climates, freeze uplifts must also be accounted for.
Whenever construction workers start work on a new building, they must first consider where and how they will build the foundation. It is a structure, commonly made of residential concrete, which transfers the weight of the building to the underlying ground. There are several types of foundation designs and each has a different specific purpose, but generally each works to transfer the weight load of a structure to the underlying ground.
Most small to medium sized homes are built on a shallow foundation. These usually consist of concrete strips that are placed about 3.3 feet (1 meter) below the ground, or a single large concrete slab that is also placed about 3.3 feet (1 meter) below the ground. When applicable, it will extend below the frost line. When engineers design a building’s foundation, they need to keep in mind how much soil will settle underneath it and how much weight will go on top. If calculated incorrectly, the foundation could fail and endanger the entire structure.
Larger buildings use deep rather than shallow foundations. A deep foundation uses long steel or concrete piles to penetrate past weaker surface soils into deeper, more stable soils or bedrock underneath. The load from the walls above is transferred deep into the earth, thus providing support for the intense weight above. Much like the considerations for a shallow foundation, engineers must consider weight and settlement, as well as scrape – the water eroding the soil beneath the structure.
For structures built in colder climates, engineers must also consider freeze uplifts. Frost occurs when moisture in the ground freezes, thereby changing the density of the building substrate. Freeze heave can cause damage to foundations, compromising the structural integrity of the entire building. However, drier, warmer climates aren’t entirely free from such concerns; certain soils will expand and contract as moisture is added or removed, and engineers must account for that movement when considering where and how to lay a foundation.
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