The lowest division of a building or other construction, partly or wholly below the surface of the ground, designed to support and transmit its loads directly to the earth

• Foundation

• Shallow foundation

• Footing

• Settlement

A foundation system placed directly below the lowest part of a substructure and transferring building loads directly to the supporting soil by vertical pressure

• Foundation

• Shallow foundation

• Footing

• Settlement

The part of a foundation bearing directly upon the supporting soil, set below the frost line and enlarged to distribute its load over a greater area

• Foundation

• Shallow foundation

• Footing

• Settlement

The gradual subsiding of a structure as the soil beneath its foundation consolidates under loading

• Foundation

• Shallow foundation

• Footing

• Settlement

The gradual reduction in the volume of a soil mass resulting from the application of a sustained load and an increase in compressive stresses

• Primary consolidation

• Differential settlement

• Secondary consolidation

• Consolidation

A reduction in volume of a soil mass under the action of a sustained load, due chiefly to a squeezing out of water from the voids within the mass and a transfer of the load from the soil water to the soil solids

• Primary consolidation

• Differential settlement

• Secondary consolidation

• Consolidation

A reduction in volume of a soil mass under the action of a sustained load, due chiefly to adjustment of the internal structure of the soil mass after most of the load has been transferred from the soil water to the soil solids

• Primary consolidation

• Differential settlement

• Secondary consolidation

• Consolidation

The relative movement of different parts of a structure caused by uneven settlement or failure of its foundation

• Primary consolidation

• Differential settlement

• Secondary consolidation

• Consolidation

It may be caused by closely spaced footings or by adjacent footings located at different levels.

• Primary consolidation

• Differential settlement

• Secondary consolidation

• Overlapping soil stresses

The transfer of stress from a yielding part of a soil mass to adjoining, less yielding or restrained parts of the mass

• Frost heave

• Arching

• Frost line

• Frost boil