Foundations don’t get built overnight, and the method of building foundations isn’t just picked at random. As you could probably tell, there’s actually a huge number of criteria that are assessed before your foundation is created.
Structural engineers always make the final decision
It’s a structural engineer who always makes the final call on how best to construct a building’s foundation. They’re the ones who are qualified to do it, and have the knowledge to plan the perfect foundation, each and every time, without fail.
Material choice
The material of the home you’re building dramatically affects the foundation selection criteria for buildings. This is because each material has a different loading condition. Brick, stone, steel, concrete, timber – these materials are different in weight and flexibility, which affects the construction of your foundation and needs to be assessed individually by a structural Engineer.
Soil bearing capacity
Not all soils are made the same – some bear loads better than others. Low-bearing soils require a stronger, more reinforced foundation than soils that can bear heavy loads. Loose soil often requires pile foundations to be dug deeper, in order to reach solid ground.
Expansion and retraction
Expansion and contraction are two other factors that should be accounted for when your engineers are selecting the foundation for your building. Clay soil is renowned for its water retention qualities, making it notorious for expanding and contracting. This can be problematic as movement isn’t good for foundations.
Soil that has been previously used for foundation building
Many blocks of land have been previously used for residential or commercial buildings. Obstructions due to this previous use of land can impact the selection of foundation.
Sand and gravel
If your foundation is going to be laid on sand or gravel, then a different set of criteria will be assessed. Sand holds together well when damp, compacted and uniform, but trenches may collapse and so sheet piling is often used to retain the ground in trenches until the concrete is poured.
Techniblock are Melbourne’s most reputable team for foundation construction, repairs, underpinning, basement retrofitting and more.