Purpose and Background

This practical seminar provides a broad overview of the issues encountered by foundation designers. The first part of the seminar starts with a brief discussion of soil types and a primer on relevant geotechnical topics. You will learn how to determine soil-bearing capacities by both the conventional exploration and analysis methods and by approximate quick field testing. The differences in behavior of foundations placed on sand and clay are presented. The seminar reviews the basics of wall and column footing design using longhand calculations, reference tables, and software. Comfortable with the basics, participants will follow several step-by-step design examples for complex foundations, including combined and cantilever footings. The discussion proceeds to the unique challenges of designing foundations for pre-engineered metal buildings, including frame-based and Quonset hut varieties. After an overview of special challenges facing the designers of these structures, the instructor explains the process of estimating column reactions and methods of resisting horizontal forces and uplift on their foundations. The nuts-and-bolts of shear and tension transfer from the column base to the foundation are explained. The complexities of designing tie rods, hairpins, formless footings, downturned slabs, and moment-resisting foundations are explained and illustrated in several design examples. The second part of the seminar concerns renovation and strengthening, starting with an overview of challenges facing those designing foundations on difficult soils. You will learn how to deal with foundations on rock, poor, corrosive, or expansive soils and with foundations in the areas with deep frost lines. An in-depth discussion of various methods of repair and strengthening foundations follows. These include adding supports; shoring and replacement; pit underpinning; underpinning by drilled piers, micropiles and proprietary piers; and improving soil properties bychemical grouting, jet grouting, and other means.

Seminar Benefits

• Learn how to design various kinds of shallow foundations, including combined, cantilever, and eccentric column footings, and work through many step-by-step design examples
• Discover how to use quick field testing to approximately establish soil bearing capacity
• Discuss various methods of resisting horizontal forces on metal-building foundations, including tie rods, hairpins, and moment-resisting foundations. Learn the dos and don'ts of their design
• Examine the latest methods of strengthening shallow foundations, such as chemical grouting, jet grouting, micropiles, and proprietary piers
• Learn how to estimate column reactions for pre-engineered buildings before the manufacturer is even selected
• Explore the issues of transferring the column reactions from the base plates to the foundations and learn why some manufacturers typical details of metal buildings may require modification. Learn how to select minimum size of column pedestal.
• Discover how to avoid pitfalls in designing formless footings and slabs with haunches
• Study the proven methods of constructing shallow foundations on rock, poor soils, and in areas with deep frost lines
• Examine the merits of designing fixed-base columns and learn what problems they present for the foundation designer
• Find out how the latest changes in the building codes complicate the design of anchor bolts for pre-engineered buildings and what changes in the metal superstructure may be needed to meet the new code provisions

Learning Outcomes

• Identify the fundamental differences in computing the magnitude of foundation settlement in two types of soils: cohesive and cohesionless
• Know the two main factors that influence the design of foundations used in pre-engineered buildings
• Determine the main difference in the design assumptions used for combined and cantilever footings
• Identify the design procedures for four common foundation systems used in pre-engineered buildings

Assessment of Learning Outcomes

Achievement of the learning outcomes will be assessed through class discussion following the presentation of each major topic, short case studies and refreshing the discussion through a short post-seminar exam.

Special Features

Each participant will receive a copy of Alexander Newman’s book Metal Building Systems: Design and Specifications, 2nd edition, a $100 value. 

Who Should Attend?

Structural and civil engineers, facility managers, building officials, and competent contractors seeking to broaden their knowledge of foundation design, construction, and renovation methods. While the discussion topics are technical in nature, those who are not engineers will not be overwhelmed because the instruction is kept to an enjoyable and easy-to-understand level.

Summary Outline

Time:  8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

DAY 1

• Foundation basics
• How to determine loadbearing capacity of soils
• Design of shallow foundations for conventional buildings 
  - Basic column and wall footings 
  - Combined, cantilever, and eccentric column footings
  - Introduction to design of mats and slabs on grade subjected to concentrated loads
• Foundation design for frame-based metal building systems
• Methods of resisting horizontal forces on foundations 
  - Tie rods 
  - Hairpins 
  - Moment-resisting foundations 
  - Formless footings 
  - Slab with haunch

DAY 2 

• Foundations for Quonset Hut-type buildings
• Anchor bolts, concrete embedments, column bases, and column pedestals for metal building systems
• Foundation problems and failures
• Foundations on difficult soils
• Renovation and strengthening of foundations
• Case study
• Conclusion, final Q&A

Hotel Information

Discounted hotel rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis. See discount deadline and rates below.

Important Details About Your Seminar