Footings

Acknowledgement
This Powerpoint presentation was
prepared by Dr. Terry Weigel,
University of Louisville. This work
and other contributions to the text
by Dr. Weigel are gratefully
acknowledged.

Footings
Support structural members and transfer
loads to the soil
Structural members are usually columns or
walls
Design for load transfer to soil uses
unfactored loads
Structural design of footing is done with
factored loads
3

Footings
Footings must be designed to prevent bearing
failure, sliding and overturning
Footings must be designed to prevent
excessive settlement or tilting
Typically, bottom of footing must be located
below frost line
Excavation may be required to reach a depth
where satisfactory bearing material is
located
4

Wall Footing
Wall footings enlargement of the bottom of
the wall

Isolated Square Footing

Isolated or single column square footing
loads relatively light and columns not
closely spaced

Combined Footing
Combined footings support two or more
columns heavily loaded columns; closely
spaced columns; columns near property line

Mat Footing
Mat or raft foundation continuous concrete
slab supporting many columns; soil strength
relatively low; large column loads; isolated
spread footings would cover more than 50
percent of area; reduce differential
settlement

Pile Cap
Pile caps distribute column loads to groups
of piles

Soil Pressure
Soil pressure is assumed to be uniformly
distributed beneath footing if column load
is applied at the center of gravity of the
footing
Footings supported by sandy soils
Footings supported by clayey soils
Footings supported eccentric loads
10

Assumed Soil Pressure

11

Soil Pressure - Sandy Soil

12

Soil Pressure - Clayey Soil

13

Allowable Soil Pressure

Actual soil pressure is based on unfactored
loads
Allowable soil pressure may be determined by
a geotechnical engineer
When soil exploration is not feasible, values
provided by building codes may be used
Factor of safety is typically 3
14

Allowable Soil Pressure (Table 12.1)

Maximum Allowable Soil Pressure
Material
Rock

Allowable Pressure, ksf

20% of ultimate
strength

Compact coarse or fine sand, hard

clay or sand clay

Medium stiff clay or sandy clay

Compact inorganic sand and silt

mixtures

Loose sand

Soft sand clay or clay

Loose inorganic sand-silt mixtures

Loose organic sand-silt mixtures,

muck or bay mud

0
15

Design of Wall Footings

Generally, beam design theory is used
Shear strength almost always controls footing
depth
Compute moment at the face of the wall
(concrete wall) or halfway between wall
face and its centerline (masonry walls)

16

Design of Wall Footings

17

Design of Wall Footings

18

Design of Wall Footings

19

Design of Wall Footings

20

Design of Wall Footings

Shear may be calculated at distance d from
face of the wall
Use of stirrups is not economical set d so
that concrete carries all the shear
Vc 2 f c' bw d
d

Vu
2 f c' bw
21

Design of Wall Footings

Design a 12-in wide strip
Section 15.7 of ACI Code:
Depth of footing above bottom
reinforcement not less than 6 in
for footings on soil and not less
than 12 in for footings on piles
Minimum practical depth of footing is 10 in
and 16 in for pile caps
22

Wall Footing Design

Examples

23

Example 12.1
Design a wall footing to support a 12-in. wide
reinforced concrete wall with a dead load
of 20 k/ft and a live load of 15 k/ft. The
bottom of the footing is to be 4 foot
below final grade, the soil weighs 100
lb/ft3 the allowable soil pressure is 4 ksf.
The concrete strength is 3,000 psi and the
steel is Grade 60.

24

Example 12.1

25

Example 12.1
Assume a footing thickness of 12 in. With a
minimum cover of 3 in., this gives a d value
of about 8.5 in. Compute the footing
weight and
Footing weight
soil weight:

12 in

150 150 psf

12 in/ft
Soil weight
36 in

100 300 psf

12 in/ft
26

Example 12.1
Effective soil pressure and required width of
footing:
qe 4000 psf 150 psf 300 psf 3550 psf
Width of footing required
20 k/ft 15 k/ft
9.86 ft
3.55 ksf
Use 10 ft

27

Example 12.1
Factored bearing pressure for design of
concrete:
1.2 20 k/ft 1.6 15 k/ft
qu
4.80 ksf
10 ft

28

Example 12.1
Compute design shear (at distance d from
face of wall):
6 in
8.5 in
10 ft
Vu

4.80 ksf 18.2 k

12 in/ft 12 in/ft
2
18, 200 lb
d
18.46 in
0.75(1.0) 2 3000 ksi 12 in

Much larger than orginal assumption

Try a thicker footing - say 20 in thick
d 16.5 in
29

Example 12.1
20 in
qe 4000 psf
150 psf
12 in/ft
28 in

100 psf 3517 psf

12 in/ft
Width of footing required
20 k/ft 15 k/ft
9.95 ft
3.517 ksf
Use 10 ft
30

Example 12.1
6 in
16.5 in
10 ft
Vu

4.80 ksf 15.0 k

12 in/ft 12 in/ft
2
15,000 lb
d
15.21 in
0.75 2 3000 ksi 12 in/ft

h 15.21 in 3.5 in 18.71 in

Use a 20 in thick footing

31

Example 12.1
10 ft
6 in

4.5 ft
2
12 in/ft
Compute moment on a one-foot-long strip
wL 4.80 k/ft 4.5 ft
Mu

48.6 k-ft/ft
2
2
12 in/ft 48, 600 lb-ft/ft
Mu

198.3 psi
2
2
bd
0.9 12 in 16.5 in
2

32

Example 12.1
Appendix Table 4.12, = 0.00345 < 0.0136,
section is tension controlled; = 0.9
2

in
As 0.00345 12 in 16.5 in 0.68
ft
Use No 7 at 10 in (As = 0.72 in2 / ft from
Table A.6)

33

Example 12.1
Development length:
t e s 1
cb 5 in side cover
db
0.875
cb 3 3
3.4375 use cb 3.5 in
2
2
10 in
cb
5 in one-half c-c spacing of bars
2
cb K tr 3.5 in 0

4.0 Use 2.5

db
0.875 in
34

Example 12.1
ld
3 f y t e s

'
d b 40 f c cb K tr
db
3 60,000 psi 1
32.86 diameters
40 3000 psi 2.5
0.68 in 2 /ft
l d As ,required
32.86
31.03 diameters

d b As , provided
0.72 in /ft

l d 31.03 0.875 in 27.15 in

35

Example 12.1
Available length for development

10 ft 12 in/ft 6 in 3 in 51 in 27.15 in
2

36

Example 12.1
Temperature and shrinkage steel
As 0.0018 12 in 20 in 0.432 in 2 / ft

Use No 5 at 8 in (As = 0.465 in2 / ft)

37

Design of Isolated Square Footings

Most isolated square footings have a constant
thickness
For very thick footings, it may be economical
to step or taper footing
Two types of shear must be considered oneway shear and two-way shear

38

Design of Isolated Square Footings

Constant thickness

39

Design of Isolated Square Footings

Stepped

40

Design of Isolated Square Footings

Tapered

41

One-way Shear
Same as for wall footings

Vu
2 f c' bw

42

One-way Shear

43

Two-way Shear
ACI Code Section 11.11.1.2 states that critical
section is at a distance d/2 from face of
support

44

Two-way Shear

45

Two-way Shear

46

Two-way Shear
Vc 4 f c' bo d

<- ACI Code Equation 11-33

4
Vc 2 f c' bo d <- ACI Code Equation 11-35
c

c ratio of the length of the long side of the

column to the length of the short side of
the column bearing on the footing

s d
'
Vc 2

c bo d <- ACI Code Equation 11-34

bo

47

Two-way Shear
s = 40 for interior columns
s = 30 for exterior columns
s = 20 for corner columns

48

Flexural Design Isolated Square

Footings

Flexural reinforcement is required in two

directions
The values of d for the layers of steel in
the two directions will be different

For square footings, design using the value of

d for the upper layer is typical
For square footings supporting non-square
columns, moments are larger in the
shorter direction of the column
49

Flexural Design Isolated Square

Footings

Reinforcing steel areas required to resist

moment are often less than minimum
200
required steel:
A

bd
s ,min

As ,min

fy

3 f c'

bw d
fy

Code Section 10.5.4 states that minimum

area and maximum spacing need only be
equal to values required for temperature
and shrinkage steel
50

Flexural Design Isolated Square

Footings
Maximum steel spacing may not exceed three
times the footing thickness or 18 in.

51

Load Transfer from Column to

Footing
All forces at the base of the column must be
transferred to the footing
Compressive forces must be transferred by
bearing
Tensile forces may be transferred by
reinforcement or mechanical connectors
52

Load Transfer from Column to

Footing
Columns transfer loads directly over the area
of the column
Load transfer into the footing may by
assumed to occur over an effective area
which may be larger than the column area
For the same strength of concrete, the
footing can support more bearing load
than can the column
53

Load Transfer from Column to

Footing
Bearing strength permitted at the base of
'

0.85
f
the column ->
c A1
Bearing strength permitted on the footing is
the same value multiplied by -> A2
A1

See ACI Code Section 10.14.1

54

Definition of A1 and A2
A1 is the area of the column

A2 is the area of footing geometrically similar

to and concentric with the column
55

Column Dowels

56

Excess Bearing Load

Excess bearing load can be carried by dowels
or column bars extended into footing
ACI Code Section 15.8.2 requires that the
dowel area not be less than 0.005 times
the gross cross-sectional area of the
column

57

Development Length for Dowels

Development length of dowels must be
sufficient to transfer column force to
footing
Development length of dowels may not be less
than the length required if bearing stress
was not exceeded

58

Splice Length for Dowels

ACI Code does not permit splicing of No 14 or
No 18 bars
ACI Code Section 15.8.2.3 does permit No 14
or No 18 bars to be spliced to No 11 (or
larger) dowels in footings
These dowels must extend into the column
not less than the development length for
the No 14 or No 18 bar, or the
compression lap splice length for the
dowels, whichever is larger
59

Splice Length for Dowels

These dowels must extend into the footing
for a distance not less than the
development length for dowels

60

Insufficient Development or
Splice Length
Use a larger number of smaller dowels
Use a deeper footing
Add a cap or pedestal to the footing

61

Column Uplift
Development length must be those for
tension
Splice requirements are those found in ACI
Code Section 12.17

62

Isolated Rectangular Footings

Square footings are more econonical than
rectangular footings
Long direction steel is uniformly distributed
along short direction
Short direction steel is non uniformly
distributed along long direction
63

Isolated Rectangular Footings

ACI Code Section 15.4.4.2
Reinforcement in band width
2

Reinforcement in short direction 1

is the ratio of the length of the footing in

the long direction to the length in the
short direction
Remaining steel is distributed uniformly
throughout the two portions of the
footing outside the band
64

Isolated Rectangular Footings

65

Footing Design Examples

66

Example 12.2
Design a square column footing for a 16-in.
square tied interior column that supports
loads of D = 200 k and L = 160 k. The
column is reinforced with eight No 8 bars,
the bottom of the footing is 5 foot below
final grade, the soil weighs 100 lb/ft3 the
allowable soil pressure is 5 ksf. The
concrete strength is 3,000 psi and the
steel is Grade 60.
67

Example 12.2
Assume a footing thickness of 24 in. with a
minimum cover of 3 in., this gives a d value
of about 19.5 in. Compute the footing
weight and
Footing weight
soil weight:

24 in

150 300 psf

12 in/ft
Soil weight
36 in

100 300 psf

12 in/ft
68

Example 12.2
Effective soil pressure and required area of
footing:
qe 5000 psf 300 psf 300 psf 4400 psf
200 k 160 k
A
81.82 ft 2
4.40 ksf
Use 9 ft x 9 ft

69

Example 12.2
Factored bearing pressure for design of
concrete:
1.2 200 k 1.6 160 k
qu
6.12 ksf
2
81 ft

70

Example 12.2
Depth required to resist punching shear:
bo 4(16 19.5) 142 in

Vu 2 81.0 ft 2.96 ft
d

6.12 442.09 k

442, 090 lb

0.75 4 3000 psi 142 in

18.95 in 19.5 in Ok

442, 090 lb
d
40 19.5 in
0.75
2 3000 psi 142 in
142 in

10.12 in 19.5 in Ok
71

Example 12.2

72

Example 12.2
Depth required to resist one-way shear:
Vu1 9 ft 2.208 ft 6.12 ksf 121.62 k
d

121, 620 lb

0.75 2 3000 psi 108 in

13.71 in 19.5 in Ok

73

Example 12.2
Flexural design
wL 6.12 ksf 9 ft 3.83 ft
Mu

404 k-ft
2
2
12 in/ft 404, 000 lb-ft
Mu

131.2 psi
2
2
bd
0.9 108 in 19.5 in
2

74

Example 12.2
Appendix Table 4.12, = 0.00225 < min
200

0.0033
60, 000 psi
3 3000 psi

0.00274
60, 000 psi
As 0.0033 108 in 19.5 in 6.95 in 2

Use nine No 8 (As = 7.07 in2)

75

Example 12.2
Development length:
t e s 1
cb bottom cover 3.5 in
cb one-half center-to-center bar spacing 6 in
cb K tr 3.5 in 0

3.5 Use 2.5

db
1.0 in

76

Example 12.2
ld
3 f y t e s

'
db 40 f c cb K tr
db
3 60, 000 1
32.86 diameters
40 3000 2.5
As ,required

6.95 in 2
32.86
32.30 diameters

A
7.07 in
s
,
provided

l d 32.30 1.0 in 32.30 in

ld
db

77

Example 12.2
Available length for development

9 ft 12 in/ft 16 in 3 in 43 in 32.30 in
2

78

Example 12.3
Design for load transfer for the column and
footing in Example 12.2. The strength of
the sand-lightweight concrete (different
from Example 12.2) in the column is 4 ksi.

79

Example 12.3
Bearing force at the column base:
1.2 200 k 1.6 160 k 496 k

Design bearing force at the column base:

0.85 f A1 0.65 0.85 4 ksi 16 in
'
c

566 k 496 k Ok

80

Example 12.3
Design bearing
force in the
footing
concrete:

108 in
2
16 in

6.75 Use 2

0.85 f A1
'
c

A2

A1

0.65 0.85 3 ksi 16 in 2

2

848.6 k 496 k Ok

Minimum dowel area:

0.005 16 in 1.28 in 2
2

81

Example 12.3
Dowel development length into the column
ld

0.02db f y

f c'

0.02 0.75 in 60, 000 psi

0.85

4000 psi

16.74 in

Dowel development length into the footing

ld

0.02db f y

f c'

0.02 0.75 in 60, 000 psi

1.0

3000 psi

16.43 in
82

Example 12.3
Development length must not be less than:
l d 0.0003db f y 0.0003 0.75 in 60, 000 ksi
13.50 in
l d 8.0 in

83

Example 12.4
Design for load transfer for a 14-in. square
column to a 13 ft square footing if Pu =
800 k. Normal weight concrete is used in
both the column and the footing. The
concrete in the column is 5 ksi and in the
footing is 3 ksi. The column is reinforced
with eight No 8 bars.

84

Example 12.4
Bearing force at the column base = 800 k
Design bearing force at the column base:
0.85 f A1 0.65 0.85 5 ksi 14 in
'
c

541.5 k 800 k No good

85

Example 12.4
Design bearing force in the footing concrete:

156 in
2
14
in

A2

A1

0.85 f A1
'
c

11.14 Use 2

A2

A1

0.65 0.85 3 ksi 14 in

649.7 k 800 k No good

86

Example 12.4
Design dowels to resist excess bearing force:
800 k 541.5 k 258.5 k
258.5 k
As
4.79 in 2
0.9 60 k
0.005 14 in 0.98 in 2
2

Use eight No 7 bars (As = 4.80 in2)

87

Example 12.4
Dowel development length into the column
ld

0.02db f y

0.02 0.875 in 60, 000 psi

14.85 in

1 5000 psi
l d 0.0003db f y 0.0003 0.875 in 60, 000 ksi
f

'
c

15.75 in
l d 8.0 in
88

Example 12.4
Dowel development length into the footing
ld

0.02db f y

0.02 0.875 in 60, 000 psi

19.42 in

1.0 3000 psi

l d 0.0003db f y 0.0003 0.875 in 60, 000 ksi
f c'

15.75 in
l d 8.0 in

89

Example 12.5
Design a rectangular footing for an 18-in.
interior square column for D = 185 k and
L = 150 k. The long side of the footing
should be twice the length of the short
side. The normal weight concrete
strength for both the column and the
footing is 4 ksi. The allowable soil
pressure is 4000 psf and the bottom of
the footing is 5 ft below grade.
90

Example 12.5
Assume a footing thickness of 24 in. with a
minimum cover of 3 in., this gives a d value
of about 19.5 in. Compute the footing
weight and
Footing weight
soil weight:

24 in

150 300 psf

12 in/ft
Soil weight

60-24 in

100 300 psf

12 in/ft
91

Example 12.5
Effective soil pressure and required area of
footing:
qe 4000 psf 300 psf 300 psf 3400 psf
185 k 150 k
A
98.5 ft 2
3.40 ksf
Use a footing 7'-0" x 14'-0" A 98.0 ft 2

1.2 185 k 1.6 150 k

qu
4.71 ksf
2
98.0 ft

92

Example 12.5
Depth required to resist one-way shear. Take
b = 7 ft.
Vu1 7 ft 4.625 ft 4.71 ksf 152.49 k
d

152, 490 lb

0.75 1 2 4000 psi 84 in

19.14 in

h 19.14 4.5 in 23.64 in

93

Example 12.5

94

Example 12.5
Depth required to resist punching shear:
bo 4 18 19.5 in 150 in

Vu 2 98.0 ft 2 3.125 ft
d

415,580 lb

4.71 ksf 415.58 k

0.75 1 4 4000 psi 150 in

14.60 in 19.5 in Ok

415,580 lb
d
40 19.5 in
0.75
2 4000 psi 150 in
150 in

8.11 in 19.5 in Ok
95

Example 12.5

96

Example 12.5
Flexural design (steel in long direction)
14 ft
9 in

6.25 ft
2
12 in/ft
6.25 ft
M u 6.25 ft 7 ft 4.71 ksf
643.9 k-ft
2

12 in/ft 643,900 lb-ft

Mu

268.8 psi
2
2
bd
0.9 84 in 19.5 in

97

Example 12.5
Appendix Table 4.13, = 0.00467
As 0.00467 84 in 19.5 in 7.65 in 2

Use ten No 8 (As = 7.85 in2)

98

Example 12.5
Flexural design (steel in short direction)
7 ft
9 in

2.75 ft
2 12 in/ft
2.75 ft
M u 2.75 ft 14 ft 4.71 ksf
249.3 k-ft
2

12 in/ft 249,300 lb-ft

Mu

52.0 psi
2
2
bd
0.9 168 in 19.5 in

Too low for Table A.13

99

Example 12.5
200

0.0033
60, 000 psi
3 4000 psi

0.00316
60, 000 psi
As 0.0033 168 in 19.5 in 10.81 in 2

Use 18 No 7 (As = 10.82 in2)

100

Example 12.5
Reinforcement in band width
2
2
2

Reinforcement in short direction 1 2 1 3

Use 2/3 x 18 = 12 bars in band width

101

Example 12.5

102