CE533: Seminar on

An Introduction to Floating
Foundations

By
Nikhilesh Dey
Roll - 164104028
 What is Floating Foundation?
A floating foundation for a building can be defined as a
foundation in which the weight of the building is
approximately equal to the full weight which includes water
of the soil removed from the site of the building.
Also named as Buoyancy Rafts, Compensated
Foundations, Deep Cellular Rafts
 Principle of a floating foundation: An exact balance
of weight removed against weight imposed. The obtained
result is zero settlement of the building.
 When adopted ?
The soil bearing capacity is very low
The estimated building settlement is more than the safe
limit
Occupants in low-altitude areas face the problem of high
floods resulting in the collapse of houses. The construction
of buoyant foundation would help in increasing the
elevation of the house.
 Types of Floating Foundations :
1. The basement rafts
2. The buoyant raft.

Construction of a Buoyancy Raft

or Hollow Raft Foundation for a
G+15 Building in Glasgow
 Advantages
The chances of settlement
are reduced
Foundation having a height
of 3 or 4 floors are used for
skyscraper construction
The building is elevated to
a required height, which
makes them stay above
high water levels
Disadvantages
As the depth of weak soil
increases, the amount of
excavation also increases
There are possibilities of
leakage of gasses into
these hollow cells
Catastrophic Movement
possibilities- These occur
when the excavation is
done beyond the critical
depth of stability
What is coming next ?
1. Factors affecting construction and design of Floating
Foundations
2. Design methodologies for Floating Foundations
3. Case studies on Floating Foundations
4. Glimpse of Floating Foundations in offshore structures
 References :
Brown, T.L. (1972). Comparison of calculated versus measured
performance of floating foundations at MIT. ScD Thesis, Dept. of
Civil Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, Mass,179p
Chung, S.G., Kwag, J.M., Beak, S.H. and Lee, N.K. (2005).
"Performance of a medium tall building supported by a floating
foundation on the Nakdong river deltaic deposit." J. KSCE journal
of civil engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, No. 3, Vol. 9:
187-195.
Mohsenian, Sahar. (2011) Geotechnical Aspects for Design and
Performance of Floating Foundations , cole de Technologie
Suprieure
http://offshorewind.net/offshore-wind-turbine-foundations-
current-future-prototypes/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/501940320946322819/
http://www.nishimatsu.co.jp/eng/solution/solution.php?no=MTEx
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3msAkpUumI
http://www.wechselwirkung.eu/en/reference_mpp3.php