UNDERSTANDING

ARCHITECTURAL
DETAILS - 3
CONCRETE & STEEL
CONSTRUCTION

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Emma
Walshaw
INTRODUCTION
Contents 4
FOUNDATIONS & FLOORS 7
BASEMENT DESIGN 55
FRAMES 69
WALLS 79

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ROOFS 157
INSULATED CONCRETE FORMWORK 201
BIBLIOGRAPHY / FURTHER READING 217
INDEX 219

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The information contained in this ebook is for educational purposes only.

 
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in
any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical
methods, without the prior written permission from the author.

Users of this guide are advised to use their own due diligence when it comes to working up
construction details, and should be verified by qualified professionals. 

Under no circumstances should any of the contents of this book be used as construction
drawings. Drawings must always be checked and verified by a fully qualified architect or
associated professional. The entire contents of this book and associated digital files are for
educational purposes only. 

Copyright © 2015 by Emma Walshaw

First In Architecture
 FOUNDATIONS &
FLOORS

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SECTION 1
PRINCIPLES OF FOUNDATION DESIGN
The four main types of foundations in steel and concrete construction are:
ÎƉ Strip foundations
ÎƉ Pad foundations
ÎƉ Raft foundations
ÎƉ Pile foundations

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STRIP FOUNDATIONS
The strip foundation consists of a single strip of concrete, which provides a firm and level base
for the construction of the walls above. Strip foundations spread the load from walls of brick,
masonry or concrete to the subsoil. The foundation depth depends on strength of material,

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foundation loads and breading capacity of the subsoil. 

Figure 1.1 - Strip foundation

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Detail G01 - Strip foundation

8 SECTION 1 - FOUNDATIONS AND FLOORS

If the subsoil is weak or susceptible to movement the foundation can be taken to a suitable
depth where the strata is stronger and able to bear the loads of the proposed structure.

The width of the strip foundation must be adequate that there is room to lay walling material, and
also able to spread the loads to a suitable area of subsoil. As a general rule, the projection of the
strip each side of the wall should be no greater than the thickness of the concrete.

In other cases, a wide strip foundation may be used to spread the load of the foundation or the
strip can be reinforced.

Strip foundations are more commonly used in domestic and residential construction, or more
low rise construction.

Figure 1.2 - Deep strip foundation

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Detail G02 - Deep strip foundation

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PAD FOUNDATIONS
A pad foundation is generally a square of reinforced concrete, that takes the loading from
the column above and transfers it to the ground.  The column is positioned centrally on the
foundation pad, which requires the pad to be sufficiently reinforced to avoid the point loading of
the column punching through the foundation. 

The column or pier that sits on the pad foundation can be brick, masonry, concrete or steel.
Once again the area of the pad is dependent on strength of subsoil, and loading on the
foundation material. 

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Detail G03 G04- Simple pad foundation with and without reinforcement
Ground beams are often used to span between the pads and transfer the load of the infill wall to
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the pads.

Pads can sometimes be linked with concrete strip when they are particularly close together,
resulting from a frame that has close spacing.
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Figure 1.3- Example of a pad foundation with ground beam

10 SECTION 1 - FOUNDATIONS AND FLOORS

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Detail G18 B - Raft foundation with toe - concrete frame - alternative detail

26 SECTION 1 - FOUNDATIONS AND FLOORS

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3D Detail G18 B - Raft foundation with toe - concrete frame - alternative detail

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Detail G28 - Beam and block floor - beams parallel to wall, cast in situ concrete downstand

42 SECTION 1 - FOUNDATIONS AND FLOORS

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3D Detail G28 - Beam and block floor - beams parallel to wall, cast in situ concrete downstand

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Detail G36 - Solid concrete ground floor - insulation above slab, screed finish underfloor heating

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3D Detail G36 - Solid concrete ground floor - insulation above slab, screed finish underfloor heating

52 SECTION 1 - FOUNDATIONS AND FLOORS

TYPES OF FRAME
Skeleton Frame:
Conventional steel frames are constructed using hot rolled section beams and columns known
as a skeleton frame. The skeleton frame supports the whole load of the building - floors, walling,
wind pressure and so on. The most economic form of this frame is a standard grid pattern, with a
3m to 4m spacing between columns and floor beams spanning up to 7.5m. 

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Figure 3.8 - Example of structural steel skeleton frame

Parallel beam structural steel frame:

This type of frame uses spine beams which are fixed on each side of the columns to support
secondary beams that support the floor. This also is most economic when designed in a
rectangular grid, and main advantages are the ability to integrate services in both directions
within the structure. 

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CLADDING DETAILS

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Detail W01 - Rainscreen cladding panels - steel frame infill
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3D Detail W01 - Rainscreen cladding panels - steel frame infill

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Detail W02 - Rainscreen cladding steel frame infill - base detail

86 SECTION 4 - WALLS
3D Detail W09 - Cladding panels on
aluminium frame system - window head
detail

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3D Detail W08 - Cladding panels on aluminium frame system -

window cill detail

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3D Detail W17 - Render finish - window head detail

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Figure 5.6 - Example of a board system

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Figure 5.7 - Example of a secret fix system
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Standing Seam:
Standing seam roofs are becoming increasingly popular where concealed fixings and
low roof pitches are required (see in industrial warehouses, long span frames and portal
frames). The main advantage of the standing seam system over the profile metal roofs is
that virtually no fixings pass through from the outside to the inside construction, thus giving
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a more aesthetically pleasing roof surface. These roofs are often made from prefabricated

systems where the metal is pre rolled and formed and clipped together on site. 

Figure 5.8 - Example of standing

seam roof cladding
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Detail R15 - Extensive green roof - warm deck, edge detail

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3D Detail R15 - Extensive green roof - warm deck, edge detail

188 SECTION 5 - ROOFS

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Detail ICF02 - Strip foundation with ground bearing slab

206 SECTION 6 - ICF

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3D Detail ICF02 - Strip foundation with ground bearing slab

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 Detail G01 - Strip foundation
2D Details Index 8
Detail G02 - Deep strip foundation 9
Detail G03 G04- Simple pad foundation with and without reinforcement 10
Detail G05 - Mass fill pad foundation with steel piers 11
Detail G06 - Example of pad foundations 11
Detail G07 - Simple raft foundation 12
Detail G08 - Raft foundation with downstand 13
Detail G09 - Raft foundation with downstand beam and toe 14
Detail G10 - Example of a raft foundation with downstand beam and toe 15
Detail G11 - Simple pad foundation - steel frame 21
Detail G12 - Reinforced pad foundation - steel frame 21

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Detail G13 - Mass fill pad foundation - steel frame 22
Detail G14 - Pad foundation with reinforced concrete beam connection between pads 22
Detail G15 - Simple raft foundation - steel frame 23
Detail G16 - Simple raft foundation with 23
downstand - steel frame 23

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Detail G17 - Raft foundation with downstand and toe - steel frame
Detail G18 A - Raft foundation with toe - concrete frame
Detail G18 B - Raft foundation with toe - concrete frame - alternative detail
Detail G19 - Deep strip foundation, reinforced concrete slab - concrete frame
Detail G20 - Suspended concrete floor - beam and block
Detail G21 - Raft foundation with toe - steel frame
Detail G22 - Deep strip foundation with reinforced concrete slab - steel frame
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Detail G23 - Raft foundation with toe - steel frame 36
Detail G24 - Composite floor - steel deck with concrete cast in situ 38
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Detail G25 - Precast concrete plank floor 38
Detail G26 - Beam and block floor configurations 40
Detail G27 - Beam and block floor - beams parallel to wall, precast edge beam 40
Detail G28 - Beam and block floor - beams parallel to wall, cast in situ concrete downstand
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Detail G29 - Cast in situ reinforced concrete slab 44
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Detail G30 - Solid concrete ground floor - insulation above slab, chipboard finish 46
Detail G31 - Suspended concrete floor - beam and block, chipboard finish 46
Detail G32 - Suspended concrete floor - beam and block, screed finish 48
Detail G33 - Solid concrete ground floor - insulation above slab, timber floor on battens 48
Detail G34 - Solid concrete ground floor - insulation above slab, screed finish 50
Detail G35 - Solid concrete ground floor - insulation below slab, screed finish 50
Detail G36 - Solid concrete ground floor - insulation above slab, screed finish underfloor
heating 52
Detail G37 - Floating floor 53
Detail G38 - Insulated floor 53
Detail G39 - Floating floor 53
Detail G40 - Insulated floor with underfloor heating 53
Detail B01 - Concrete construction, external insulation, external tanking 60
Detail B02- Blockwork construction, external insulation, external tanking 62
Detail B03- Blockwork construction, concrete floor slab, internal insulation 64
Detail B04 - Concrete construction, internal insulation 66

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 Detail F01 - Long span/portal frame - eaves gutter 145
Detail F02 - Long span/portal frame - mono ridge 147
Detail F03 - Long span/portal frame - parapet gutter 148
Detail F04 - Long span/portal frame - ridge detail 149
Detail F05 - Long span/portal frame - door jamb (in plan) 150
Detail F06 - Long span/portal frame - external corner (in plan) 151
Detail F07 - Long span/portal frame - floor detail 152
Detail F08 - Long span/portal frame - window cill 153
Detail F09 - Long span/portal frame - window head 154
Detail F10- Long span/portal frame - window jamb (in plan) 155
Detail R01 - Profiled metal deck 165
Detail R02 -Profiled metal deck with concrete topping 166
Detail R03- Reinforced concrete warm deck 167

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Detail R04 -Profiled metal deck parapet junction 168
Detail R05 - Concrete deck parapet junction 170
Detail R06- Profiled metal deck parapet junction option 172
Detail R07- Concealed and protected membrane 174
Detail R08 - Exposed single ply membrane 176

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Detail R09 -Profiled metal deck parapet junction with steel frame wall and structure
Detail R10 - Steel frame concrete plank floor
Detail R11 - Standing seam metal roof - ridge detail
Detail R12 - Standing seam metal roof - mono ridge detail
Detail R13 - Standing seam metal roof - parapet detail
Detail R14 - Standing seam metal roof - gutter detail
Detail R15 - Extensive green roof - warm deck, edge detail
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Detail R16 - Extensive green roof - parapet connection 189
Detail R17 - Extensive green roof - parapet detail option 190
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Detail R18 - Extensive green roof - wall connection 192
Detail R19 - Extensive green roof, concrete deck typical build up 194
Detail R20- Extensive green roof, metal deck typical build up 196
Detail R21 - Extensive green roof - low parapet 198
Detail ICF01 - Strip and block foundation with ground bearing slab 204
Detail ICF02 - Strip foundation with ground bearing slab 206
Detail ICF03 - Precast concrete floor detail 208
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Detail ICF04 - Window detail 210

Detail ICF05 A - Flat roof detail 212
Detail ICF05 B - Pitched roof detail 214

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 End

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Note all insulation thicknesses should be calculated in order to achieve required u-values.
All structural members should be calculated and assessed by a structural engineer. 
These drawings MUST NOT be used as construction drawings, and are purely an educational
resource. 
These drawings are not finished or complete construction drawings and should not be used as
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such. 
This does not cover CDM regs, and these should always be consulted/considered when
drawing up construction documents. 

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