What Is Involved When Constructing Foundations?
The procedure used for house foundation construction will always begin with a decision on what is its depth, width, and marking layout for excavation and the centerline of the foundation. Foundation is the part of a structure that is seated below the plinth level, and in direct contact with soil, its sole purpose is to transmit the load of a superstructure to the surrounding ground.
Generally, it is found below the ground level. If some part of the foundation is above, it will be covered with earth filling. This portion of a structure will not come in contact with the likes of air, light, etc., or, another way, is to say that it is the hidden part of the structure.
Footing is a structure made with either brickwork, masonry, or concrete, that is under the base of a wall or column and will distribute the load over a large area.
Depth of Foundation
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Availability of bearing capacity.
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Depth of shrinkage and swelling in the case of clay soils due to seasonal changes, which can result in considerable movements.
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Depth of frost penetration when dealing with fine sand and silt.
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Possibility of excavation closeby.
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Depth of groundwater table.
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The minimum depth of foundation must be no less than 50 cm. This needs to allow the removal of topsoil and variations in the ground level.
Hence the best depth of foundation ranges from 1.00 meters to 1.5 meters from the ground level.
Width of Foundation
The width of the footings needs to be laid according to the structural design. For light load buildings like houses, flats, school buildings, etc, which do not have more than 2 storey’s, the width of the foundation is detailed below:
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The width of the footing should be no less than 75 cm for one brick thick wall.
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The width of the footing should be no less than a meter for one and a half brick wall.
To learn about the house foundation construction services and products thatDwayne James General Contracting can offer you, and if you live in or around the Earlville, NY region, please feel free to call us at (315) 203-1957 anytime.