Various Types of Foundations Used for Civil Engineering Structure

This article describes various types of foundations used for civil engineering structures. Any civil engineering structures either building constructions or any types of road constructions needs foundation. In general, foundations of all types of structures are to take loads and transmit them to the subsoil foundation. Subsoil foundation is to carry the imposed loads (dead and live loads) safely during the designed life of the structures. There are two basic types of foundations that are usually used in foundation engineering; shallow and deep. Shallow foundations are the most commonly used types of foundations for usual building constructions. Shallow foundations have their bases either at ground level or close to the ground surface while deep foundations transfer the imposed loads from the structure to much deeper and in to a firm soil layer at any depth of the subsoil foundation. There are other types of foundations as well that are usually used in special cases where ever applicable or required that include; caissons, micro-piles, shell foundations, and sheet piles. Basically, types of foundations to be designed and used for a particular civil engineering project depend on several factors. The most significant of these factors are ; subsoil foundation conditions, load intensity and economical feasibilities.