The Types of Footings and Foundations Explained Insights of a Structural Engineer

There are many types of Footings and Foundations, each with their benefits and drawbacks. I will be going through the main types of structural foundations, along with their structural properties allowing you to know which structural footings to use.
The design of foundations requires you to understand the soil as the structural mechanics of the soil will affect which footing system to choose, so no discussion on footing design would be complete unless you start at know how the foundation material will behave.
Footings can also be divided into two main categories these are deep foundations or shallow foundations. The main types of deep footings are either Piles either driven screw or bored, while shallow foundations are pad footings, strip footings or raft slabs. there are main other types of footing however these are typically the main types of footings.
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[@kaleb5050]

Anyone else here going down the rabbit hole in order to diy a house?

[@dcampbell1581]

Here!!!

[@davidflavin]

🙋

[@kelvartis]

I am personally going to trench my footings into my ground + form them on the surface with 2x4 for leveling / squaring ease. good luck. at this point it's more about doing than listening to internet how to videos.

[@duomaxwell2201]

Always

[@joshc4519]

Absolutely me. I majored in Mechanical Engineering and want to build my own house. Problem is, I am scrutinizing every little detail before I even draw plans. Maybe after 20 years I will get it done :) In a serious matter, you cut one wire, and we don't have water, heat, much light, or even an outhouse. I can live with it a week or so, but how about years??? People do not realize just how INCREDIBLY DEPENDENT we are on the normal functioning of society. I don't want to live that way. Second, I believe the Bible, and I believe it prophesies that the worst is yet to come and soon. Another aspect is this prophecy: "there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great... and the cities of the nations fell... and every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent (75 lbs)" - Revelation 16:18-20. In other words, every skyscraper is coming down, and at least some, if not all, mobile homes being cannoned from above. I just don't know if I can, or if I should even try to, build to that standard. Maybe I shouldn't try for a 1000 year house life, but just a 16 year or 63 year - whenever the events happen.

[@gustavoornelas4717]

As a first year undergraduate civil engineer, your videos are very helpful, informative and gives further important knowledge to someone like me who is just beginning to learn the structural engineering fundamentals. Keep up the amazing videos Brendan!

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi Gustavo, glad that I can help, thanks for the support.

[@timoomo5944]

Highly informative. You summed up geotechnical analysis and foundation engineering in 14 minutes.

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi Timo, thanks for watching and the support. Aim to provide.

[@SuperBaz23]

Love your work man, Amazing graphics on your videos and you get the information across so clearly. Your an absolute legend

[@BrendanHasty]

Appreciated mate! Always accept any suggestions to make my content informative and enjoyable.

[@amirulrasyid9380]

Well explained, easy to understand!

[@BrendanHasty]

Thanks for the support Amirul.

[@DeepakKrishna11]

Excellent Brendan. That was a really good explanation on why certain types can be used based on conditions. Keep it up.

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi Deepak, thanks for the continued support.

[@iffythegoldencrust4255]

Thank you Sir 💯 The amount of value in the videos is mountainous

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi Iffy, thanks for the support.

[@brdnlng]

👋 I'm a mechanical engineering grad who just got a job as a structural engineer. Your videos are helping me learn more about the knowledge I need for my job. Thanks!

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi Braden, glad my videos are helping. your mechanical degree would have given you a good founding in structucal mechancis which will help out alos

[@gusfitzgerald7155]

great video for a carpentry apprentice to stumble upon. Very informative and relevant to Australia. Thanks Brendan

[@BrendanHasty]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@malikdaniyel146]

Hi Bredan, your video made me reminisce when I was doing my final paper on types of foundation especially the piling systems. Thanks for making this video and keep up the good work for engineers and designers.

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi Malik, thanks for watching and the support. Hope I didnt miss anthing.

[@malikdaniyel146]

@@BrendanHasty you covered the fundamentals of footings and foundations. It would be great to showcase how to carry out an inspection and what to look for during site visits.

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi Malik working on arranging a site inspection

[@malikdaniyel146]

@@BrendanHasty I do look forward to this video

[@natnaelayele4853]

We are highly benefited from your expertise and knowledge

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi Natnael, glad that I can provide

[@ratherbefishing5739]

Worth mentioning is construction specifications in northern climates require the footing to be placed below the frost depth of the region. It's for this reason that the majority of buldings in Canada and norther US have full basements

[@adamarditi82]

Hi there. Thank you for providing these very helpful explanation. You did a great job. How would you explain the difference between a grade beam and a spread footing?

[@kamalhakimi2559]

Hi thank you Engineer Brandon.Good knowledge.

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi Kamal, thanks for watching.

[@lukew3940]

Another great video, really wish you were my uni lecturer.

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi luke, thanks for the encouragement. Glad that i can help spread the knoledge.

[@mohammedalshoukri7022]

Thank you Brendan for the video :)

[@BrendanHasty]

it is my pleasure, thanks for the support.

[@willcade5703]

Super informative, great videos, sometimes I struggle to follow you because you move so quickly. Rewind button has been helpful.

[@BrendanHasty]

Thanks Will for your support! I will try to slow down a bit.

[@sonsoffishes1]

Thanks!

[@johnbrough8381]

I thoroughly enjoyed this video. I have a question: can you have a monolithic floor slab with a perimeter footing that supports periodic columns for the second floor?

[@uBenkiff]

Great stuff

[@BrendanHasty]

Thanks for watching

[@OisinHiggins]

Hi Brendan, Great overview. Could you cover low environmental impact foundations; eg. Foundation reuse, timber piles, vibro-stone, rammed earth, ground improvement strategies and whether these are likely to be suitable commercial applications and their implications on Professional Indemnity (PI) please?

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi Oisin, thanks for the suggestion will had it to a list, footing can have a big impact on the embodied carbon.

[@mohammedlasmi649]

Good explanation. Thanks too much

[@BrendanHasty]

Thanks of the support Mohammed. Glad that you enjoyed it

[@mohammedlasmi649]

@@BrendanHasty welcome

[@punkskumar5271]

Hi Brendan, would appreciate a video on Uses and limitations of Finite Element Analysis. Can't find many channels like yours dedicated to structural engineering.. Keep going.👍

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi punks thanks for the suggestion it would be an interesting topic.

[@phillipyeaman5732]

More great content! Thanks Brendan! For the past two years I've worked as a site engineer, however, I never had as much passion for it as I did for the structural engineering I did at uni. I've recently made the decision to change the direction of my career and pursue work as a structural design engineer and I've been using your videos to re-educate myself on some of the stuff I learnt in uni. Unfortunately, finding work has proven to be rather difficult, as I'm also new to Melbourne and don't have many connections here. With two years of experience in the industry as a site engineer having lots of practical experience with structures, I really though that getting a grad position as a structural engineer would far easier than it's proven to be. Regardless, I'm still driven to continue down this path and your videos have certainly kept my motivations high, so thankyou for that. Would you have any advice for someone in my position?

[@BrendanHasty]

Thanks so much for your support Phillip and I'm glad my content has inspired you. I would suggest to try apply from small firms, also many companies recruit on LinkedIn as well. Good Luck on that, trust yourself, keep learning & improving!

[@bigmao1464]

Love your videos mate, just binged a fair few of them. I was wondering if you offered any engineering review services ? I got engineering done for a shed slab here in melbourne but most of the concreters I'm sending the details to are saying that the slab is overkill and that it should be on bored piers rather than a deep raft slab.

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi Big Mao, thanks for the support. I have limited time so at the moment I wouldnt have time to do any consulting , however if you send me a email I have forward it onto someone.

[@squeekhobby4571]

Many thanks for the content. Can you elaborate pros and cons on shallow foundations

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi Squeek, I can do a video on this, most of the time you want to do shallow footing unless you have poor soil or too higher load.

[@squeekhobby4571]

@@BrendanHasty : many thanks. I am from climate zone 5/6 zone, us. Europe has been doing shallow foundation for frost protection for many years. In US Canada stilt many are going with traditional footer and stem wall foundation.

[@kk2485]

If you are building a commercial greenhouse, approx. 1000sq ft. would it need a footer?

[@deyuhao8538]

Great stuff! Would you be able to comment on the load combination used to determine pad size or checking if the soil capacity has been exceeded? The book Concrete Structures says it should be the unfactored load combination, which is consistent with the practice used in many other countries, but this is not mentioned anywhere in AS1170.0. A bit uncertain of the engineering practice in Oz. Thank you in advance!

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi Deyu, this is something that can be discussed with the geotechnical engineer. as bearing capacity is governed by settlement, it is typically based on a services load so G+LLR. but it is best to conform with the geotechincal engineer. hope it helps Cheeers Mate.

[@yousafkhan7622]

sir, your new subscriber here. for 2 story load bearing house construction!can we use concrete solid blocks in foundation with out any beam and column?soil is hard strata

[@michaelsabbagh2673]

Thx brandon.where do you think it is better to provide the ground beams? At ground level below slab on grade or between the single foundations at foundation level? A video on top down construction would be a nice video to see! Thx again

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi Michael if you have pad footing it is better to have the ground beams at the same level.You want your footing to be founded on the same level.

[@RakeshDas-uo1hl]

Do you know any foundation design or materials used which can last more than hundred years? Concrete, I heard can start to give up in 50-60 years. What do you think about rammed earth construction? How are they comparable to concrete?

[@Joshcodes808]

Brendan, where would you rank Chert + clay mix (above or below sand)?

[@BrendanHasty]

Typically sand is better, it is more stable. Unless in areas subject to liquefaction.

[@Joshcodes808]

@@BrendanHasty thanks for the reply

[@rawaaalhilween8333]

hello Brendan, what it happens if the steel bars are distributed ununiformly in compression and tension zone due to poor workmanship, would it lead to cause additional flextural moments and torsion, and shear stresses, could we solve this problem by using carbon fiber strips, or what are the other suggestions to solve this kind of problem ? thanks in advance

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi Rawaan, strengthen using carbon fibre is limited as it is non-ductile, 10 to 30 maximum additional capacity. Still lots of assessments to prove it up. If really bad may need to remove the concrete using high pressure water, replace the reinforcement and resources.

[@mathxnoob]

Can i use your videos as a supplementaty media for my class in CE?

[@BrendanHasty]

Not sure it is external study, you can link to them.

[@arjunpandava7640]

Great content and information. Really, truly, sincerely. However you need to speak at a slower pace. I had to adjust the playback settings to .75 to fully appreciate and hear clearly what you were saying. Perhaps it's just me. Anyway, great content, and MUCHO thanks.

[@BrendanHasty]

I do speak a bit fast, apologize for that mate. Thanks so much for your support!

[@johnstrawb3521]

Good work. As an architect and teacher with an emphasis in structural engineering, I would have enjoyed this comprehensive overview when starting out. The only thing I'd change is (and I'd definitely change it), instead of rushing into detail (a fundamental pedagogical error) I'd speak more broadly in a longer overview, generalizing about foundation and footing types, then about soil types before going into detail. I'd also slow down the edits. Brains need time to breathe while taking in information, especially in dense. Cheers,

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi John thanks for the suggestion on improvement. Greatly appreciated. It can be a fine line between too fast and too slow but agree the edits became to fast it needed some breaks to digest. Agree on restructuring to.

[@explorerjlc1743]

what can you do if the soil is susceptible to liquefaction, but also highly corrosive ?

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi JC in highly Corrosive soils you need to increase concrete covers and special concrete mix design. for liquefactions typically you need to install pile suport which can be out of concrete

[@johnalexanderlagman2857]

Why spread footing only have bottom reinforcement bars?

[@BrendanHasty]

Because in most spread footing the top is always in compression. You only really need to reinforce where tension exists unless you need to resist shrinkage cracking

[@Chambreak1234]

Don't forget to correctly design the pad foundation because sometimes the dimensions are too small to apply classic RC formulas

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi chambreak agree most pad footings should be designed using strut and tie.

[@dykodesigns]

A combination of clay and peat is a very weak combination of soils. It always results in using deep precast piles. Some historical building in the netherlands where built on this type of soil with just stepped masonry footings. Foundation repair has become a necessity in these area's.

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi DYKO, foundation repair is difficult, specially when dealing with masonry. Alot of building repair is due to foundations.

[@civilideas1925]

👍🏻

[@BrendanHasty]

Thanks civil

[@MrBlindjay]

First!

[@BrendanHasty]

thanks for helping the youtube algorithm

[@regdor8187]

The voice sounds so strained that it must put weird forces on the facial structure....

[@mikebastani2243]

Slow down man!

[@BrendanHasty]

Hi Mike agree the cuts where too quick in this one.

[@adebumolaismail3505]

Hello Hasty, you talk too fast pls. And you barely use illustrations for your explanations. Thanks

[@BrendanHasty]

thanks for the suggestions on improvement

[@bharath9in]

What is the difference between spread footing and turned down footing? Which is good for buildings like retail or light industrial(flex spaces).