Spread footings are concrete components that support a building’s foundation and can be reinforced with steel. They distribute weight over a large area, minimizing damage and are best for stable ground. Engineers determine the size and quantity of footings, and they can be combined with spot footers.
A spread footing is a type of structural component that serves as the foundation for a building’s foundation. These components are constructed of concrete and are often reinforced with rebar or steel to add extra support. Depending on the size and configuration of the building, footers may be buried just below ground level or several feet below the surface. In cold climates, they are always placed below the frost line to minimize concrete lifting problems that occur during freeze/thaw cycles.
Like all footers, a spread footing is used to support the foundation or pillars underneath a building. While traditional spot plinths have only one point of contact with the foundation, the diffusion variety extends continuously across the building’s footprint. Slope beams also span the entire bearing surface, but tend to distribute loads to specific points, whereas a spread foundation transfers the load across the entire terrain, not to a single point. This makes grade beams the best choice for very unstable ground, whereas these footers require that the ground be quite stable all around.
This type of footer design is very beneficial for builders and homeowners. Because they transfer the building’s weight over a large area, they have little risk of failure compared to footers. This design helps minimize cracking and other signs of damage that occur as a building settles over time. By distributing weight this way, homeowners can often extend the life of their home by minimizing structural damage. These components can also help compensate for patches of loose or unstable soil without the need for extensive excavation and backfill.
The size and quantity of footers deployed are typically determined by structural engineers or architects, who refer to local building codes for assistance in designing them. A geotechnical engineer may be consulted to test the quality of the soil, which can determine whether it is stable enough to support the proposed building. Typically, these footings are the same size as the foundation wall in terms of thickness, although they can vary greatly in height, depending on ground conditions.
A diffused plinth can also be combined with spot footers, particularly on larger buildings. In this type of design, the diffuse component is installed under the entire foundation, which typically only runs under the exterior walls. Point footers are then placed under the individual points under the interior walls to help distribute the heavy loads over a larger area.
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