Based in Redwood City, CA, Alan Stinson completed training last year in the fundamentals of construction. One of the basic concepts that Alan Stinson learned about in his Redwood City, CA course was how foundations are integrated within construction projects, as a way of safely transferring loads from a building to the underlying soil.
The two basic types of foundations are shallow and deep, with the latter required in situations where the structure is either very tall or constructed on weak or graded soil that is liable to shift. Creating the foundation typically involves digging trenches to the point where a hard stratum is reached.
The trenches are outfitted with forms which contain a reinforcing cage made of attached steel bars (rebar). They are then filled with concrete, with the reinforcing steel enhancing the strength of the concrete foundation. Steel rods are also left projecting upward from this concrete, and serve as “bones” that are connected to the substructure that rises on its base.
Foundation designs vary widely based on the environment and the building’s dimensions, with soil settling patterns and shear failure possibilities two major issues that need to be studied and taken into consideration before construction begins. In addition, some foundations may require special design elements, for instance, to eliminate lateral movement of the supporting material.
Alan Stinson (Redwood City CA) 