Minimum depth of foundation
Minimum depth of foundation
(OP)
Could anybody please provide me the guidelines of minimum depth of foundation? I have a situation where foundation is to be rested directly on the ground. The ground consists of 250mm compacted fill underlain by sound partially weathered sandstone. The size of foundation is 6mx0.5m.
I am asking for minimum embedment of 0.5m below ground. However civil guys want to rest foundation directly on the ground. Their argument is that foundation pressure is less than allowable bearing pressure of 1000kPa and it satifies all the stabilty requirments of sliding and overturning.
However, I am not very comfortable with resting foundation directly on the ground. Could you please provide your valuable feedback. Thanks & regards
I am asking for minimum embedment of 0.5m below ground. However civil guys want to rest foundation directly on the ground. Their argument is that foundation pressure is less than allowable bearing pressure of 1000kPa and it satifies all the stabilty requirments of sliding and overturning.
However, I am not very comfortable with resting foundation directly on the ground. Could you please provide your valuable feedback. Thanks & regards





RE: Minimum depth of foundation
Putting the foundation directly on top of the ground with no embedment is not a good idea. Even wind scour can undermine a foundation.
RE: Minimum depth of foundation
I have seen this done for temporary footings - such as a pad footing beneath a tower crane. But your circumstance probably wouldn't meet the constraints that makes this practice acceptable, namely 1) it is temporary and 2) it is inspected ("monitored") daily.
A strip footing for a permanent structure that is only 0.5 meter wide - without any embedment? Sounds foolish to me. I wouldn't sign off on that design.
RE: Minimum depth of foundation
In countries subject to winter effects, the base of the foundation is placed below the frost line to prevent frost heaving.
Regards
VOD
RE: Minimum depth of foundation