The construction industry today is developing at a very fast pace, which is largely due to new technologies for creating materials. Having a long service life, they allow not only to increase the thermal insulation properties of buildings, but also provide reliable protection against aggressive environmental influences.
The foundation of any structure is its most important part - the foundation, the quality of which depends on its integrity and strength. The main types of foundations used today in construction include strip, block, pile, columnar, as well as reinforced concrete. Sometimes, in the construction of some buildings, foundations can be combined, which depends on the type of soil. So, for example, for a light country house, a strip foundation is most often used, which is laid around the entire perimeter of the load-bearing walls. To do this, a trench is dug at the design depth, at the bottom of which gravel and sand are laid, after which a concrete mixture with a boot is poured there. However, modern types of foundations, including strip foundations, are today reinforced in almost all cases, since steel rods, welded or connected to each other, give the whole structure much greater strength.
If it is planned to erect a multi-storey residential building, then for this the most common is a single monolithic reinforced concrete foundation, which is poured along the entire perimeter of the future structure. Such a concrete pillow is one of the most reliable foundations that will allow the building to stand firmly for many decades.
It should be understood that when designing the foundation, not only the building as a whole is taken into account, but also the conclusions of geologists who examine the soil for suitability for the construction of a high-rise structure on it. All types of foundations play the main role - they transfer the load of the entire structure to the ground, and the most important thing is that it should be distributed evenly around the entire perimeter of the building. This is the main role of any concrete foundation. There are various types of soils, among which are rocky, sandy, clayey and loamy. In addition, in some areas of our country you can find peat soil, which is considered the least reliable and difficult in terms of earthworks. To build a house on such soil, only a pile foundation is used, which is monolithic reinforced concrete piles driven into the ground by a special construction machine (pile driver).
In some cases, a special clay foundation should be used. The fact is that clay soil has its own characteristics, the main of which is a high degree of heaving of the soil. In the winter period of time, when freezing the soil, this process can occur unevenly, so the foundation of the structure must be reliably protected from these troubles. This is achieved by observing several important factors:
- The foundation must be below the freezing ground.
- A reliable blind area should be made around the entire perimeter of the building, which can protect the lower part of the building from moisture penetration.
- The foundation must be based on mandatory rigid reinforcement, and also be made on the basis of cement of at least grade M400
The most reliable foundation for any structure is rocky soils, which nature itself created as the most durable structure (except for calcareous rocks). Depending on the strength of the rocky soil and the conclusions of geologists, the design organization can offer you the most suitable type of foundation for a particular structure.
The types of foundations, in addition to all of the above, can also be divided into light and heavy, depending on the degree of reinforcement and the depth of laying. Sometimes you can find a foundation made on the basis of prefabricated PS blocks, but it is best used exclusively on sandy soils, since it has the lowest freezing coefficient in the cold season.
Summarizing all of the above, an important conclusion should be made that the design and construction of the foundation should be taken with all responsibility. The foundation of concrete plays a crucial role, transferring the bearing load of the entire structure to the ground, therefore, in no case should errors be made here. Otherwise, the whole house may be at risk of subsidence and loss of structural integrity. Be careful and successful construction!