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

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

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

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

A foundation used in yielding soil, having for its footing a raft placed deep enough that the weight of the excavated soil is equal to or greater than the weight of the construction supported

A foundation system that extends down through unsuitable soil to transfer building loads to a more appropriate bearing stratum well below the superstructure

A system of piles, pile caps, and tie beams for transferring building loads down to a suitable bearing stratum, used esp. when the soil mass directly below the construction is not suitable for the direct bearing of footings

A reduction in a 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

A reduction in a 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

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

The horizontal component of resistance developed by a soil mass against the horizontal movement of a vertical structure through the soil

The horizontal component of pressure that a soil mass exerts on a vertical retaining structure

The actual pressure developed between a footing and the supporting soil mass, equal to the quotient of the magnitude of the forces transmitted and the area of contact. Also called contact pressure.

The maximum unit pressure a foundation is permitted to impose vertically or laterally on a supporting soil mass

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

A wall occurring below the floor nearest grade, designed to support and anchor the superstructure

A concrete slab placed over a dense or compacted base and supported directly by the ground, usually reinforced with welded wire fabric or a grid of reinforcing bars to control any cracking caused by drying shrinkage or thermal stresses

A layer of coarse granular materials placed and compacted on undisturbed soil or prepared fill to prevent the capillary rise of moisture to a concrete ground slab

Something that underlies or serves as a base or foundation

A mat providing on yielding soil, usually for an entire building, placed so that the weight of the displaced soil exceeds the weight of the construction

A framework of crossing beams for spreading heavy loads over large areas

A reinforced concrete beam supporting a superstructure at or near ground level and transferring the load to isolated footings, piers, or piles

A thick, slablike footing of reinforced concrete supporting a number of columns or an entire building

A mat foundation reinforced by a grid of ribs above or below the slab

A composite structure of reinforced concrete slabs and basement walls serving as a mat foundation

A continuous or strip footing that changes levels in stages to accommodate a sloping site or bearing stratum

A reinforced concrete footing connected by a tie beam to another footing in order to balance an asymmetrically imposed load, as at the perimeter of a building site. Also called strap footing.

A concrete footing extended laterally to distribute the foundation load over a wide enough area that the allowable bearing capacity of the supporting soil is not exceeded

A reinforced concrete footing extended to support a row of columns

The continuous spread footing of a foundation wall

A single spread footing supporting freestanding column or pier

A reinforced concrete footing for a perimeter column or foundation wall extended to support an interior column load