10.2.

8 Design Procedure
The following design procedure can be used in the design of footings. Included is the information
presented in the previous sections on analysis, design, and detailing.
Step 1:
Determine the area of the footing. The base dimensions of a footing are calculated using service loads
and the permissible bearing capacity of the soil.
Service Load
Moment M
Area of footing
For a concentrically loaded isolated footing, the maximum pressure at the base of the footing is uniform,
and Af can be obtained by dividing the service axial load by the permissible bearing capacity. For isolated
footings subjected to an axial load and bending moment, Af is determined by trial and error. Closed-form
solutions are available for combined rectangular and trapezoidal footings where the dimensions are
determined so that uniform pressure occurs at the base of the footing.
Step 2:
Determine the thickness of the footing. The thickness of the footing h must satisfy flexural requirements
and the one- and two-way shear requirements of ACI 15.5.
Thickness of the footing using punching shear:

Factored loads are used to compute the maximum bending moments and shear forces at the critical
sections.

According to ACI 15.7, the depth of the footing above the bottom reinforcement layer must be 6 in for
footings supported on soil and 12 in for footings on piles. The minimum cover to reinforcement in
concrete elements cast against and permanently exposed to earth is 3 in accordance with ACI 7.7.1.

Step 3:
Determine the required flexural reinforcement.

Once a footing thickness has been established, the flexural reinforcement can be determined using the
general requirements of the strength design method. The location of the critical section for the
maximum factored moment in a footing is given in ACI 15.4 for three cases.

The required area of reinforcement is calculated at the critical section, assuming a tension-controlled
section. The provided area of reinforcement must be equal to or greater than the minimum
reinforcement prescribed in ACI 10.5.4.
Distribute the flexural reinforcement. The flexural reinforcement is distributed in the footing according
to the provisions of ACI 15.4. For one-way footings and two-way square footings, reinforcement is
uniformly distributed across the entire width of the footing. In two-way rectangular footings,
reinforcement in the long direction is uniformly distributed across the entire width of the footing. In the
short direction, distribution must satisfy the requirements of ACI 15.4.2.2.

Step 4:
Check transfer of forces at the base of the supported member. Both vertical and horizontal force must
be checked at the interface between the supported and the supporting member. Vertical compression
forces are transferred by bearing on the concrete and by reinforcement, if required. Provisions for
bearing are given in ACI 10.14. Tensile forces must be resisted entirely by reinforcement.
A minimum area of reinforcement is required across the interface of the supported member and the
footing even where concrete bearing strength is not exceeded. Horizontal force transfer must satisfy the
shear-friction requirements of ACI 11.7.