Articles

Advanced Topics in Foundation Engineering

  • Foundation Design Software for Shallow Foundation Systems | Foundaxis

    Foundation Design Software for Shallow Foundation Systems | Foundaxis

    In this document, after introducing the basic concepts related to the design of shallow foundations and the structural elements that compose a foundation system, an ultra-efficient design workflow is described to perform the complete design of shallow foundation systems using software, applicable to most industrial, commercial, or residential structures. The described work

    Read the foundation design software guide
  • Isolated Footing Design: Pressure Distribution, Eccentricity, and Optimization | Foundaxis

    Isolated Footing Design: Pressure Distribution, Eccentricity, and Optimization | Foundaxis

    Foundations are a fundamental part of any structure, as they are responsible for correctly transferring loads to the ground. Within the wide variety of foundations, isolated footings are the most commonly used for small and medium-sized structures due to their simple design, ease of construction, and high versatility.

    The operating principle of

    Read the isolated footing design guide
  • Strip Foundation Design for Walls: FEM Analysis and Optimization | Foundaxis

    Strip Foundation Design for Walls: FEM Analysis and Optimization | Foundaxis

    Walls are structural elements widely used throughout the world. Particularly in seismic zones, they take on special relevance, as they are slender elements that provide great stiffness and strength to any structure. Strictly speaking, it is possible to build a wall with isolated foundations at a certain spacing; however, this would impose great additional stresses on the w

    Learn strip foundation design for walls
  • Pedestal Design with Interaction Diagrams: Axial Load, Bending, and Reinforcement Checks | Foundaxis

    Pedestal Design with Interaction Diagrams: Axial Load, Bending, and Reinforcement Checks | Foundaxis

    Pedestals are transition elements between the superstructure columns and the foundations. When the superstructure is being designed, the foundation bearing level or the foundation height might not yet be defined; therefore, the pedestal is responsible for transferring loads between both elements. This is not a trivial task, as this load transfer can occur over a considerab

    Read the pedestal design guide
  • Mat Foundation Design and Optimization with FEM | Foundaxis

    Mat Foundation Design and Optimization with FEM | Foundaxis

    When discussing foundation systems, a single alternative is rarely the only solution. There are generally many possible ways to found a structure, each with different dimensions and foundation types. Among these alternatives, a large mat foundation for the entire structure is always an option worth evaluating.

    Using a

    Learn mat foundation design with FEM
  • Tie Beams in Foundations: Seismic Role, Design Purpose, and System Behavior | Foundaxis

    Tie Beams in Foundations: Seismic Role, Design Purpose, and System Behavior | Foundaxis

    A key concept in structural engineering is understanding that geometry and stresses are closely related. It is precisely this relationship that makes controlling differential settlements necessary, as relative displacements generate increases in internal stresses. These displacements will not always be vertical; they could also occur within the horizontal plane.

    See when tie beams are used in foundations
  • Foundation Beams and Strap Foundations: When to Use Them in Shallow Foundation Design | Foundaxis

    Foundation Beams and Strap Foundations: When to Use Them in Shallow Foundation Design | Foundaxis

    While tie beams are intended to prevent relative horizontal displacements between foundations, foundation beams are designed to work as an extension of the foundation itself, resisting shear, bending, and axial forces. These elements harmonize stresses, bearing pressures, and settlements between the foundations

    Learn foundation beams and strap foundations
  • AI Foundation System Layout: Faster Configuration of Shallow Foundations | Foundaxis

    AI Foundation System Layout: Faster Configuration of Shallow Foundations | Foundaxis

    The structural design process is non-linear; it always requires evaluating different alternatives, iterating on designs, or reviewing modification requirements. This entire process is even more complex in foundation design, as foundations are often the last elements to be designed but the first to be built, meaning time is rarely on the engineer's side.

    See AI foundation layout configuration
  • Automatic Foundation Rebar Design and Detailing | Foundaxis

    Automatic Foundation Rebar Design and Detailing | Foundaxis

    Steel reinforcement detailing is a task that is simultaneously highly complex and quite straightforward. In principle, the idea is clear: to provide a sufficient amount of steel so that the foundation can resist the internal stresses to which it is subjected under ultimate load combinations. The required area of steel is obtained from a system of simple equations by determ

    Read about automatic foundation rebar design
  • Foundation Design Deliverables: Reports, Drawings, and Rebar Documentation | Foundaxis

    Foundation Design Deliverables: Reports, Drawings, and Rebar Documentation | Foundaxis

    As critical as an accurate foundation system design is how those design results are communicated. It serves no purpose for everything to be correctly modeled and calculated if the information is misunderstood on-site and ends up being executed incorrectly. There is a series of technical documents that must be delivered upon completion of any structural design project, both

    See foundation design deliverables
  • Foundation Settlement Analysis and Pressure Bulbs in Geotechnical Design | Foundaxis

    Foundation Settlement Analysis and Pressure Bulbs in Geotechnical Design | Foundaxis

    Geotechnical analysis is a crucial part of foundation design. Beyond verifying the stability of a foundation and the bearing capacity of the ground, it is vital to understand how stresses are distributed deep into the soil and what the resulting deformations will be.

    Foundation Settlement Analysis and Pressure Bulbs

    Learn settlement analysis and pressure bulbs

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