Choosing the type of foundation is a decisive moment in any building, as this transfers the loads from the structure to the ground in a safe manner. This decision depends on factors such as the geotechnical conditions of the ground, the structural type of the building, the loads to be supported and the environmental characteristics. An accurate analysis not only ensures the stability and durability of the structure but also prevents costly problems such as structural failure and differential settlement.
This is why CYPE offers CYPECAD and CYPE 3D, two solutions that can be used to make precise analyses for different types of foundations and estimate their cost, making the structural design and bill of quantity generating process easier. Our tools simplify the task of selecting and designing the most suitable type of foundation for each of your projects. Here are some of the types of foundations that you can design and analyse with our tools.
Deep pile foundations
Deep pile foundations, structural elements that transfer loads to deep soil layers, are crucial when the surface soil layers lack sufficient bearing capacity. Thanks to the modules "Piles I: Calculation of sinking load", "Piles II: Structural check" and "Piles III: Lateral stability analysis" available in both CYPECAD and CYPE 3D, you will have a complete set of features for calculating deep foundations using pile foundations on piles.
In fact, depending on the needs of your project, you can verify the bearing capacity of deep foundations, either by means of prefabricated piles (driven into the ground by percussion or pressure) or excavated piles (cast in situ).
- See the complete list of products included in CYPECAD.
- See the complete list of products included in CYPE 3D.
When starting the design, you can enter the characteristics of the soil, configuring its specific geotechnical properties, and once defined, save them for use in future projects. This way, you can create a customised library of soils that streamlines and simplifies future work.
One feature worth mentioning is verifying the safety of piles as a reinforced concrete structural element following the criteria of a certain standard selected from those available in the Piles II module. In addition, the section of the piles and their reinforcement can be defined in a simple way. This will make it easier to check their resistance to the forces transmitted by the pile cap to the pile head.
Footing
This type of foundation is mainly used for small to medium-sized structures when the ground has a good bearing capacity and the loads on the structure are not excessively large. They are ideal for transmitting loads to the ground by means of a reinforced concrete base over a larger surface area, which reduces the pressure exerted on the ground and minimises the risk of differential settlement.
Both CYPECAD and CYPE 3D can be used to design, detail and check foundations with rigid reinforced or mass concrete footings. Both programs offer manual modelling of these elements as well as automatic generation of footings, centring beams and tie beams. Footings can be isolated, combined with several columns, or strip footings under walls.
Mat foundations
Another type of foundation that can be used is mat foundation, which evenly distributes the load of the building on the ground. These are considered an integral part of the structure and interact directly with the rest of the structural elements. CYPECAD carries out an analysis based on the ballast coefficient method, considering the soil as an elastic medium according to the Winkler model.
A structure designed in CYPE 3D can also be imported to carry out the analysis of its foundations with CYPECAD (Integrated 3D Structures). Foundation slabs are particularly useful when the footing area exceeds 50 % of the floor area or when a more uniform distribution of loads on the ground is required.
Its use has a number of advantages, such as better load distribution or reduction of differential settlement, and is common in structures where the load distribution in the foundation is superficial, such as tanks and reservoirs.
Caissons
This type of foundation consists of excavating a cylindrical pit until firm ground is found and, at this point, widening it to form a bell. It is then filled with concrete and connected to the building by means of a head and beams, which makes it an economical method when the ground has little bearing capacity.
There are different types of caissons: those excavated in the open air, ideal for stable soils, and those made with compressed air, used in unstable soils or with high groundwater tables, although they are not very common nowadays. Their application is especially useful in structures subjected to high loads, such as bridges and high-rise buildings. With CYPE you can simulate forces, check stability and analyse the reinforcement of this type of foundation accurately and efficiently.
We therefore provide you with CYPECAD, which allows you to check and dimension caissons, as well as to import and work on a structure designed in CYPE 3D. The program can obtain detailed reports of the checks carried out for concrete standards such as the following:
- ABNT NBR 6118:2007 y ABNT NBR 6118:2014 (Brazil)
- CIRSOC 201-2005 (Argentina)
- ACI 318M-08 y ACI 318M-11 (USA)
- NCh 430 Of 2008. Do 60:2011 (Chile)
- NTCRC:2004 (Mexico)
- NSR-10 (Colombia)
- NTE E.060:2009 (Peru)
The connection between structures and foundations: Baseplates
To complement the types of foundations, baseplates are available, which are steel elements that connect steel or timber columns to concrete foundations (footings or pile caps). These elements, essential in steel or composite structures, ensure the connection between the superstructure and its foundations.
They can be analysed in two ways. The first is via CYPECAD or CYPE 3D, allowing them to be analysed using the component method, a feature available in the "Baseplates" module. The second, using the finite element method in CYPE Connect. Structures designed in CYPECAD or CYPE 3D can also be exported to CYPE Connect through the workflows provided by the BIMserver.center platform, where the baseplates can be analysed using the finite element method.
In short, each type of foundation has a specific function and application, and CYPE can efficiently analyse all of them. In addition, baseplates are essential to ensure structural stability when connecting columns. Want to optimise your structural designs? Give CYPE a try and discover how it can improve your projects.
