Topic 2 : Foundation
3.1 Introduction Loading in buildings consist of the combined dead and imposed load which exert a downward pressure upon the soil on which the structure is founded. This in turn prompts an active force in the form of an upward pressure from the soil. The structure is in effect sandwiched between these opposite pressure thus the design of the building must be able to resist the resultant stresses set up within the structural members and the general building fabric. Hence supporting subsoil must be able to develop sufficient reactive force to provide stability to the structure to prevent failure due to unequal settlement and to prevent failure of the subsoil due to shear. 3.1.1 Definition of Foundation A foundation is the base on which a building rests and its purpose is to safely transfer the load of the building to a suitable subsoil. 3.2 Choice of foundation type The choice and design of foundation for domestic and small types of buildings depends mainly on two factors. The total load...


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