What are the Different Types of Footing?

When a building project begins, the excavation hole is the first noticeable indication. Once that is accomplished, the first contractor to begin the building process is the concrete person, who begins the task of laying a footing.

Function

A footing is a block or strip of concrete, usually reinforced with rebar, that holds and distributes the weight of the building. The footing provides strength and stability to the building and is the material the foundation is built upon.

Types

A spot footing is a small footing that supports a single bearing point, such as a large beam. A continuous spread footing is most often used in residential construction and is capable of evenly supporting the weight of the average home. A specific width of reinforced concrete runs in a solid line around the perimeter of the building to create a spread footing. A grade beam footing is deeper than a spread footing and can handle large loads across a more specific bearing point.

Considerations

The type of soil at the building site can impact the types of footings necessary, as well as the material and techniques used. Footings are categorized as Type I to Type IV based on the soil type under the structure and how the stress is distributed. This designation is usually used with spread footings.

References

• Raised Floor Living Pro: Footings and Foundations
• ASDIP Software: Spread Footing Design
• Compact Dynamics: Footings and Foundations
• Concrete Network: Concrete Footing Fundamentals
• Cleon Zerkle; Concrete Contractor; Cedar City, Utah