In this post we will discuss about strip footing.

These types of foundations are suitable where columns in one grid are near to be founded by individual foundations beneath respective column or shear wall etc. In case of site conditions or building geometries where transfer of lateral load to exterior columns is required, these foundations are used. It is the stiffness of the supporting structures which can restrict differential settlement of individual column. But there the footings have to be designed as rigid body having linear soil pressure distribution. A comparison is made between soil stiffness and followings: -combination of stiffness of the foundation -framing member of superstructure -shear wall to predict approximate stiffness of the structure. Now we will go through right point: When a foundation can be treated as flexible or rigid. In the above comparison a relative stiffness is determined which is termed as Kr. The Kr value indicates the rigidity or flexibility assumption to be made for designing. Meyerhof in 1953 gave formula about relative stiffness. These are

Where EIB=Summation of followings: -Flexural stiffness of foundation

E'IF

-Flexural stiffness of individual framed member

tw=thickness of respective walls hw=height of respective walls

3 -Flexural stiffness of all shear wall E'twh w/12

E'Ib'

This is interesting to notice that when Kr value increases a rapid decrease in differential settlement is observed. We provide a table below about the relation between K r and settlement values below:

Footing size Long Square -

Relative stiffness

Kr=0 Kr=0 Kr=0.5

(Differential settlement)/(Total settlement) 0.5 0.35 0.1

When a relative stiffness, derived from above equations or analysis, becomes o.5, the foundation are assumed rigid in design i.e. variation in soil pressure are derived by simple statics. But if relative stiffness is found less than 0.5 the foundation should be designed as flexible considering a approach of foundation modulus.