Pad Foundation Design

Example Eurocode 2
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Pad Foundation Design Example to EC2
Table of Contents
1. Pad Foundation Design Example to EC2
1. What are Pad Foundations?
2. Types of Pad Foundations
3. Structural Pad Foundation Design Example - Eurocode 2
1. Ultimate Limit state - soil bearing pressure
2. Maximum shear resistance of foundation
3. Punching Shear
4. Bending Reinforcement
5. Final Punching Shear of Shear
6. Minimum Shear Force @ 1.0d from column
 4. Summary of Pad Foundation design

What are Pad Foundations?

Pad foundations are a type of shallow foundations (https://civilsguide.com/types-of-foundations/),
which support low loaded buildings (houses, 2-3 storey buildings).  It transfers the load from the building into
the underlying soil. 

Pad foundation designs are based on the load acting on the pad, and also depends on the bearing
capacity of soil. The foundation can either be reinforced or non-reinforced, but this depends on the
magnitude of the load.

The pad itself can be rectangular or square and the thickness of the pad should be deep enough allowing the
transfer of force into the ground. The plan area of the foundation is dependent on the load and bearing
capacity of the soil.

The depth of a pad foundations are typically between 600mm – 2000mm but once the pad becomes too
deep, it may not be economical anymore, and it may be better to use pile foundations. This is especially the
case for foundations where the competent ground strata is too deep for the pad foundation to reach.

Types of pad foundation failure can be for the following reasons:

Bearing failure (load on footing causes large movement of soul on a shear failure surface).
Structural failure (Pad foundations crack and fail under bending, shear due to large loads)
 Overturning and Sliding (applied moment and horizontal force is larger than the restoring moment and
sliding resistance of the pad).

Pad Foundation

Types of Pad Foundations

Reinforced Pad Foundations – These are foundations containing reinforcement bars for tension and
compression in the foundation. The bars used in the design are typically grade 500B in accordance to British
Standards, but this means the yield stress of the bar is 500 N/mm2.
Concrete pad foundation – These are foundations that are just mass filled concrete bases, containing no
reinforcement. This is usually for supports undertaking a minimal amount of load. (It is always better to put
the minimum amount of reinforcement to avoid any cracking).

Combined Pad Foundations – These foundations occur when the pads are too close together due to
closely spaced columns. This involves making a larger pad foundation supporting 2 or more columns.

Ground beams and Pad foundations – This involves using ground beams at the foundation level to
transfer load into the pads. This can be practically seen in housing construction where we have ground
beams supporting masonry walls.
 Foundation Reinforcement

Structural Pad Foundation Design Example - Eurocode 2

Pad Foundation Design Example using prescriptive method

The structural pad foundation is to be designed against a Permanent load of 1200 kN and Imposed load of
550 kN. There is a moment of 250 kNm (permanent) and 200 kNm (imposed).

The column size is 450 x 450mm.

fck = 40 N/mm2

fyk = 500 N/mm2

Max bearing stress = 200 N/mm2

 Pad Foundation Design Example

Determine size of pad at serviceability limit state

Base weight is 3.75m x 3.75m x 0.75 x 25 = 265 kN

Total SLS Load = 1200 + 550 +265 = 2015 kN

Minimum pad area = 2015/200 = 10.1m2

Add an additional 25% for moment = 10.1 x 1.25 = 12.63m2

The area of the pad = 3.75 x 3.75 = 14.06m2

Calculate eccentricity

e = M/P = (250 + 200)/2015 = 0.22m

For no tension:

6 x 0.22 = 1.32m > L , okay 

depth of base = 0.75m

Bearing Stresses at SLS

pmax = P/A + My/I

pmax = 2015/14.06 + 450 x (3.75/2)/(3.75 x 3.753/12)

pmax = 143.3 + 51.2 = 194.5 kN/m2

pmax = 143.3 ± 51.2 = 194.5 and 92.1 kN/m2

Pad Foundation Design - Serviceability bearing pressures
Ultimate Limit state - soil bearing pressure
Note – do not include self-weight

Column design axial load:

ULS Vertical Load = 1.35 x (1200) + 1.5 x 550 = 2445 kN

M = 1.35 x 250 + 1.5 x 200 = 640 kNm

p = 2445/14.06 + 640 x (3.75/2)/(3.75 x 3.753/12)

pmax = 174 ± 72.82 = 246.71 and 101.18 kN/m2

Pad Foundation Design - Ultimate bearing pressures
Maximum shear resistance of foundation
The depth of the foundation is 750mm and the effective depth to reinforcement has been assumed to be
680mm.

At the column face, Vrd,max

fck fck
= 0.5ud[0.6(1 − 250
)]
1.5

f40
= 0.5(4 × 450) × 680 × [0.6(1 − 250
)]
40

1.5

= 8225 kN (> 2445 kN)

Punching Shear
Punching shear is a failure mechanism in slabs and foundations, which causes shear stresses to develop at
a perimeter of 2.0d from the edge of the column face. A more detailed explanation can be found on this page
– What is punching shear? (https://civilsguide.com/what-is-punching-shear/)

Basic control perimeter = column perimeter + 4πd

= 4 x 450 + 4π x 680 = 10345 mm

Area within perimeter = (450 + 4d)2 – (4-π)(2.0d)2

= (450 + 1800)2 – (4-π)(1360)2 = 3.47 x 106 mm

therefore,

Punching shear force, VEd = (2445 – (3.47 x (247+102)/2)) = 1840 kN

VEd
Punching shear stress vEd =
P erimeter×d

3
1840×10 2
vEd = = 0.262N /mm
10345×680

Bending Reinforcement
Maximum bending at the face of the column is defined by the equation below:

2 2
Mu = (183 × 1.65 × 0.5) + (247 − 102) × 1.65 /3

=381 kNm

For the concrete

2 6 2
Mu/bd fck = 381 × 10 /(1000 × 680 × 40) = 0.0206

From the lever-arm curve, la can be determine or z = d[0.5 + √(0.25-K/1.134)]

z = 680[0.5 + √ 0.25–0.0206/1.134] = 667mm , check if this is less than 0.95d (0.95 x 680 = 646 mm)

use z = 646 mm

As =
M

0.87fykz
= (381x 10^6)/(0.87 x 500 x 646) = 1356 mm2/m

Therefore, provide B20 bars @ 200mm c/c, As = 1570 mm2/m.

Check Bar Stresses:

Stress in reinforcement can be checked through the equation below:

fyk ψ2Qk+Gk As,req

1
σs =
γms 1.5Qk+1.35Gk As,prov δ

where ψ2 can be taken from the table NA.A1.1, which contains values for buildings.

δ can be taken as 1.0 

fck

γms
= 435 for 500 MPa reinforcement.

Stress in reinforcement can be checked through the equation below:

0.7×550+1200 1356
σs = 435 = 243M P a
1.5×550+1.35×1200 1570
We can check the 243 MPa on the allowable stresses for bars. The maximum bar spacing can be taken as
175mm. 

We have chosen a bar spacing of 200mm, which is greater than 175mm.

Increase the spacing of the bars to 175mm c/c. Therefore, new area of steel is 1795mm2/m.

The table for maximum bar stresses can be found in this page: One way slab design to EC2
(https://civilsguide.com/one-way-spanning-slab-design-example-ec2/)

Final Punching Shear of Shear

The resistance of the concrete shear needs to be checked with the reinforcement added to the concrete.

We need to determine the percentage of steel in the section.

As 1570
= = 0.0022(= 0.23
bd 1000×680

1/3
vrd,c = [0.12k × (100 × ρ × fck) ]

where K = 1 + √ 200/d

Top Posts
where K = 1 + √ 200/680 = 1.54

Volume of a Pyramid – Example Calculations (https://civilsguide.com/volume-of-a-

1/3 2
vrd,c = [0.12 × 1.54 × (100 × 0.0023 × 40) ] = 0.39N /mm
 pyramid-example-calculations/)
Vrdc = vrdcu1d = 0.39 × 10345 × 680 × 10
−3
= 2746kN

Read More » (https://civilsguide.com/volume-of-a-pyramid-example-calculations/)

2746kN (> VEd = 1840kN )

Volume of a Cone – Example Calculations (https://civilsguide.com/volume-of-a-cone-

Minimum Shear Forceexample-calculations/)
@ 1.0d from column
Read More » (https://civilsguide.com/volume-of-a-cone-example-calculations/)

At the critical section for shear, normal shear at 1.0d from the column face.

Volume of a Sphere – Example Calculations (https://civilsguide.com/volume-of-a-

VEd at 1.0d is 209 kN/m per m width
sphere-example-calculation/)
Design shear force, Read
VEd =More
209» x(https://civilsguide.com/volume-of-a-sphere-example-calculation/)
103 / (1000 x 680) = 0.31 N/mm2

From the previous calculation, we determined the shear stress resistance, vrd,c to be 0.39 N/mm2 >
Volume of2
a Cylinder – Example Calculations (https://civilsguide.com/volume-of-a-
0.31 N/mm    …. OKAY 
cylinder-example-calculations/)
Read More » (https://civilsguide.com/volume-of-a-cylinder-example-calculations/)

Volume of a Prism – Example Calculations (https://civilsguide.com/volume-of-a-

prism-example-calculations/)
Read More » (https://civilsguide.com/volume-of-a-prism-example-calculations/)

Volume of a Cube – Example Calculations (https://civilsguide.com/volume-of-a-cube-

 example-calculations/)
Read More » (https://civilsguide.com/volume-of-a-cube-example-calculations/)

Volume of a Cuboid – Example Calculations (https://civilsguide.com/volume-of-a-

cuboid-example-calculations/)
Read More » (https://civilsguide.com/volume-of-a-cuboid-example-calculations/)

Formula for Volume of Common Shapes (https://civilsguide.com/formula-for-volume-

of-common-shapes/)
Read More » (https://civilsguide.com/formula-for-volume-of-common-shapes/)

Pad Foundation - Normal Shear

5 Concrete Steel Reinforcement Tables (https://civilsguide.com/steel-reinforcement-

Summary of Pad Foundation design
tables/)
Read More » (https://civilsguide.com/steel-reinforcement-tables/)
In summary, the following checks are needed in the structural design of any pad foundation.

Determine load take – down (Vertical, horizontal and moments)

Surface Area of a Pyramid – Example Calculations (https://civilsguide.com/surface-
Size the plan dimensions using SLS loads against known soil bearing capacity (Note – soil can not take
area-of-a-pyramid-example-calculations/)
tension) Read More » (https://civilsguide.com/surface-area-of-a-pyramid-example-calculations/)
Determine ULS bearing pressure 
« Previous 1 2 (https://civilsguide.com/pad-foundation-design-example-eurocode-2/2/) 3
Calculate maximum shear resistance of foundation at the column face
(https://civilsguide.com/pad-foundation-design-example-eurocode-2/3/) Next »
Calculate applied punching shear stress in foundation
(https://civilsguide.com/pad-foundation-design-example-eurocode-2/2/)
 Determine required bending steel in the foundation 
Do a final check on punching shear (https://usingeurocodes.com/en/eurocode-2-1-1/ULS/punching-
shear-slab-concrete) resistance 
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Check normal shear at 1.0d away from column face

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