Understanding Building Foundations: What Every Property Owner Should Know

The foundation is the interface between a building and the ground beneath it.

Its purpose is to safely transfer the loads of the structure to the soil without unacceptable movement or failure.

Common Foundation Types

Depending on the building and site conditions, foundations may include:

• Strip foundations — often used beneath load-bearing walls where soil conditions and building loads are suitable.
• Pad foundations — used to support individual columns or concentrated loads.
• Raft foundations — a large reinforced concrete foundation that distributes building loads over a wider area.
• Pile foundations — used where suitable bearing strata are deeper or where site and structural conditions require deep foundations.

There Is No Universal Foundation

A foundation should not be selected simply because it was used successfully on another project. The appropriate foundation depends on factors such as:

• Soil conditions
• Building loads
• Groundwater
• Site constraints
• Structural design
• Applicable standards and regulations

The right foundation begins with understanding the ground.