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CONCRETE DESIGN AIDS

Introduction to Spread Footing Design Flow Charts

Spread Footing Charts in Bullets:

All code provisions are listed, where applicable, on the charts for quick
reference.
Analysis assume rigid footing condition, resulting in a uniform soil
pressure for concentric load, and a triangular or trapezoidal soil
pressure for eccentric loading (combined axial and bending)
Establish preliminary size under service loads, and proportion
rectangular footing dimensions, if required, around a rectangular
column.
Calculate in one single equation one -way shear, two -way shear, and
design moment, under factored loads, respectively.
Deal separately with two eccentricity conditions, while e<L/6 flexural
equations are used, and for e>L/6 equilibrium equations are used.
Drive the nominal shear strength of the concrete for bo th beam shear
(one way) and punching shear (two way, or slab shear). Alternatively,
provide reference to the code provisions where shear reinforcement
may be used in case of factored shear force exceeded nominal
concrete shear strength with restricted foot ing depth.
Calculate required flexural reinforcement ratio and compared with the
minimum and maximum permitted by code, and provide required
tensile reinforcement, and calculate rebar development length.
Address axial force transfer at the column base (f or compression only),
and fully detailing the dowels design and development length required
into footing and column.
Include sketches illustrating the subject under investigation.

Include notations sheet explaining in details all symbols used in the char s.

Strunet.com: Spread Footing Design V1.01 - Page 1

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CONCRETE DESIGN AIDS

Notations for Spread Footing Design Flow Charts

As
b
bo
B
d

=
=
=
=
=

db
fc
fy
h
l
lava
ld
ls
ldb
L
Po
Pu
qact
qall
qs
Ru

=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=

area or reinforcement.
column width dimension.
perimeter of critical shear section for footing.
footing width dimension.
distance from extreme compression fiber to centroid of tension
reinforcement.
nominal diameter of bar.
specified compressive strength of concrete.
specified tensile strength of reinforcement.
overall member thickness.
column length dimension.
available length for bar development.
development length of bar in tension.
compression lap splice length.
basic development length of bar in compression.
footing length dimension.
axial load, service.
axial load, ultimate.
actual soil pressure based on service loads condition.
allowable soil bearing pressure.
factored actual soil pressure.
coefficient of resistance.

Vu

factored shear force at section considered.

Vc

=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=

nominal shear strength of concrete.

ratio of long side to short side of column dimensions.
ratio of tension reinforcement.
ratio of tension reinforcement at balanced strain condition.
maximum ratio permissible by code.
minimum ratio permissible by code.
required ratio of tension reinforcement.
provided ratio of tension reinforcement.
strength reduction factor.

b
max
min
reqd
provd

Strunet.com: Spread Footing Design V1.01 - Page 2

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CONCRETE DESIGN AIDS

Spread Footing Analysis & Design

Main Chart
Main Input &
Notation

Footing subjected
to vertical load only

Footing Subjected
to vertical load
and moment

Preliminary Size

Preliminary Size

Ultimate Design
Forces Vu & Mu

Flexural
Equations

Equilibrium
Equations

Ultimate Soils
Pressure

Ultimate Soils
Pressure

Ultimate Design
Forces Vu & Mu

Ultimate Design
Forces Vu & Mu

Shear Check

One Way Shear

(Beam Action)

Reinforcement

Rebar
Development

Force transfer at
column/footing

for compression
force only

Strunet.com: Spread Footing Design V1.01- Page 3

Two Way Shear

(Slab Action)

Preliminary Size of Footing Subjected to Vertical Loads only.

STRUNET

CONCRETE DESIGN AIDS

Footing
subjected to
vertical load only

Preliminary
Size

footing size
is given?

NO

AF =
l= column longer dimension
b= column shorter dimension
Rect.

Po
qall

square or
rect. footing?

proportion of
footing w/ column

Square

B L = AF

a = 4

Roundup B,L

b = 2(l + b)

AF = BL

c = lb AF

k =

YES

-b + b2 - 4ac
2a

L = l + 2k'

B=

AF
L

Strunet.com: Spread Footing Design V1.01- Page 4

qact =

ultimate bearing
pressure

Po
< qall
AF

qs =

Pu
AF

Proceed to
ultimate Design
forces

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CONCRETE DESIGN AIDS

Ultimate Forces for Footing Subjected to Vertical Loads only

L
Ultimate Design
Forces Vu & Mu

l
finding Vu
Note: the following footing forces
calculations are based on:
l= column dimension parallel to L
b= column dimension parallel to B

one way shear

(beam action)

d
d/2

Short
Direction

long.
Direction

Vu = qsL ( 0.5B - 0.5b - d )

qs

qs

two way shear

(slab action)

b+d

L
l+d

Vu = qsB (0.5L - 0.5l - d )

bo = 2 ( l + d ) + ( b+ d )
Vu = qs AF - ( l + d )( b+ d )

finding M u

Longitudinal
Direction

Mu = 0.125qsB (L - l )

Transverse
Direction

Mu = 0.125qsL (B - b )

Strunet.com: Spread Footing Design V1.01- Page 5

Pu d/2

use w/ Vc
calculation

Preliminary Size of Footing Subjected to Vertical Load and Moment

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CONCRETE DESIGN AIDS

Preliminary
Size

e=

L
e Po

Mo
Po

Mo

qmin

qmax

Lmax= maximum
permissible footing
length .

L=Lmax
Soils Pressure distribution if

NO

e<

L
6

YES

L>6e

L
e Po

Le =1.5L -

B=

3Mo
Po

B=

2Po
qall Le

qmax =

Proceed to Ultimate
Bearing Pressure, use
equilibrium equations

qmax
Le

Soils Pressure distribution if

e>

L
6

BL2
SF =
6

2Po
BLe

qmax > qall

Mo

AF = BL

B&L

NO

1 Po 6Mo
+ 2
qall L
L

qmax =

YES

NO

Po Mo
+
AF SF

qmax < qall

YES

qmin =

Po Mo
AF SF

STOP.
Increase B or L
NO

Strunet.com: Spread Footing Design V1.01- Page 6

Proceed to Ultimate
Soils Bearing
Pressure, use
equilibrium equations

qmin > 0.0

YES

Proceed to Ultimate
Soils Bearing
Pressure, use
flexural equations

Ultimate Forces with Flexural Equations for Footing

Subjected to Vertical Load and Moment

STRUNET

CONCRETE DESIGN AIDS

P M
qmax = u + u
AF SF
qmin =

Le = L -

d/2

Pu Mu
AF SF

qmin > 0.0

NO

qmin L
qmin + qmax

Mu
qmin
qmax

YES

q = qmax - qmin

q2 q1

0.5 ( L - l )
q2 = qmin + q

continuation

Ultimate Design
Forces Vu & Mu

0.5 ( L + l )
q3 = qmin + q

0.5 ( L + l + d )
q4 = qmin + q

finding Vu

0.5 ( L + l ) + d
q5 = qmin + q

one way shear

(Beam Action)

long.
Direction

q
q5 q4 3

0.5 ( L - l - d )
q1 = qmin + q

STOP.
go to equilibrium for

Short
Direction

Pu d/2

Vu = 0.5B (qmax + q5 )(0.5L - 0.5l - d )

Vu = 0.5L (qmax + qmin )(0.5B - 0.5b - d )

two way shear
(Slab Action)

Vu = 0.25B (q min + q1 )(L - l - d )

+ 0.5 (q1 + q 4 )(B - b - d )(l + d )
+ 0.25B (q 4 + q max )(L - l - d )
Strunet.com: Spread Footing Design V1.01- Page 7

finding M u

Longitudinal
Direction

Transverse
Direction

Mu = 0.0625B (q3 + qmax )(L - l )

Mu = 0.0625L (qmin + qmax )(B - b )

Ultimate Forces with Equilibrium Equations for

Footing Subjected to Vertical Load and Moment

Ultimate Bearing
Pressure using
Equilibrium Equations

STRUNET

CONCRETE DESIGN AIDS

Le = 1.5L

L
d
d/2

Pu

qmax =

d/2

Mu
qmax
q5

q4

q3

q2

Ultimate Design
Forces Vu & Mu

one way shear

(Beam Action)

Short
Direction

long.
Direction

Vu = 0.5B ( q5 + qmax )( 0.5L 0.5l d )

Vu = 0.5qmaxLe ( 0.5B 0.5b d )

Longitudinal
Direction

Transverse
Direction

NO

STOP.
increase L

Le > 0.5L + 0.5l

0.5qmax
( 2Le L l d )
Le

q2 =

0.5qmax
( 2Le L l )
Le

q3 =

0.5qmax
( 2Le L + l )
Le

q4 =

0.5qmax
( 2Le L + l + d )
Le

q5 =

0.5qmax
( 2Le L + l + 2d )
Le

finding M u

two way shear

(Slab Action)

NO

Le > 0.5 ( L + l + d )

2Pu
BLe

q1 =
q1

Le

3Mu
Pu

Mu = 0.0625B ( q3 + qmax )( L l )

Mu = 0.0625Leqmax ( B b )

YES

YES

Vu = 0.25B ( q4 + qmax )( L l d )
+ 0.25q4 (2Le L + l + d )(B b d )

Strunet.com: Spread Footing Design V1.01- Page 8

Vu = 0.25q1B ( 2Le L l d )
+ 0 .5 ( q1 + q4 )( B b d )( l + d )
+ 0 .25B ( q4 + qmax )( L l d )

One-Way Shear Check for Spread Footing

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CONCRETE DESIGN AIDS

ACI 11.12.1.1

ACI 15.5.1
ACI 11.12

One way Shear

bw = L , footing length long direction

Normal or Light
Wt Concrete

LIGHT

ACI 11.2.1.2

is fct given?

all-Light wt : Vc = 0.75 2 fcbw d

f c' 100 psi

ACI 11.2.1

d = h - 3.5 , h = footing depth

NO

ACI 11.1.2

finding Vc

bw = B , footing width short direction

Sand Light wt : Vc = 0.85 2 fcbwd

NORMAL

YES
ACI 11.2.1.1

ACI 11.3.1.1

f
Vc = 2 ct bw d
6 .7
fct
'

fc
6 .7

Vc
see Vu
calculations

ACI 9.3.2.3

= 0.85

Vu

NO

Vu > Vc

one way
shear o.k.

Vc = 2 fc' bw d

YES

NO

can increase fc'

or footing depth?

YES

use ACI
11.3.2.1

As = provided
flexural reinf.

w =

Req'd increase
Vu =Vc
find d or f'c

As
bw d

Vd
Vc = 1.9 fc' + 2500 w u bw d 3.5 fc' bwd
Mu

NO

Vu > Vc

Strunet.com: Spread Footing Design V1.01- Page 9

YES

repeat check

Two-Way Shear Check for Spread Footing

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CONCRETE DESIGN AIDS

ACI 11.12.1.2
Two way
Shear

ACI 11.1.2

bo = 2 ( b + d ) + ( l + d )

Vc

l
b

4 '
Vc = 2 +
fc bo d
c

d
Vc = 2 + s fc' bod
bo

b+d

b & l are column

width and lenght

L
l+d
B

c =

fc' 100psi

Vc = 4 fc' bod
ACI 9.3.2.3

Vu

= 0.85
Vu > Vc

NO

NO
N.G. increase footing
depth d or f'c

YES

option to use
shear
reinforcement?

ACI 11.12.3.2
NO

Repeat
Check
NO

Vu > 6 fc' bod

ACI 11.12.3
YES

Vc > 2 fc' bod

YES

ACI 11.12.3.1
YES
N.G., increase footing
depth d or f'c

Vs =Vu - Vc
ACI 11.5.6.2

Vs =

two way
shear is o.k.

Av fy d
s

Proceed to
reinforcement

Strunet.com: Spread Footing Design V1.01- Page 10

Repeat
Check

STRUNET

Area of Reinforcement
for Spread Footing

ACI 7.12.2

finding min

CONCRETE DESIGN AIDS

see M u
calculations

Mu

ACI 9.3.2.1

= 0.9

Ru =

req' d =

NO

Mu
bd 2

fy > 60 ksi ?

fy > 60 ksi ?

YES

NO

0.85fc
2Ru
1 1

0.85fc
fy

YES

60,000

f
y

min = 0.0018

min = 0.002

min = 0.0018

ACI 10.3.3

min

finding max
ACI 10.2.7.3

fc 4000psi

NO

YES

ACI 10.2.7.3

fc - 4000
0.65
1000

1 = 0.85 - 0.05
NO

req' d min

YES
ACI 8.4.3

req' d max
ACI 10.5.2

NO

= 1.33req' d

NO

use = Min

< Min

1 = 0.85

use deeper
section or higher
strength
YES

= 1.33req' d

As = bd Asmin = minbh
proceed to rebar
development
Strunet.com: Spread Footing Design V1.01- Page 11

b =
YES

0.85fc 87,000
1
fy
87,000 + fy

ACI 10.3.3

MAX =0.75 b

STRUNET

Rebar Development

CONCRETE DESIGN AIDS

ACI 318-95
12.2.3
Rebar
Development

ACI 12.2.4

c=one-half bar spacing , or

center of bar to the nearest
concrete surface, which is smaller

k tr=0.0 for footing

ACI 12.2.3

c + ktr
2.5
db

=1.3 fresh concrete below bars is more t han 12"

=1.0 fresh concrete below bars is 12" or less
= 1.5 Epoxy coated w/ cover < 3db and cl ear spacing < 6db
= 1.5 all other epoxy coated
= 1.5 uncoated

1.7

fc 100psi
ACI 12.2.3

= 0.8 for bar size 6 or smaller.

= 1.0 for bar size 7 or larger.

= 1.0 , normal weight concrete.

= 1.3 , light weight concrete, if fct is not s pecified.
=

6.7
fc 1.0 , light weight concrete, if fct is speci fied
fct

Strunet.com: Spread Footing Design V1.01- Page 12

ld =

3 fy
db
40 fc c + ktr
db

Forces Transfer at Column/Footing Interface

STRUNET

CONCRETE DESIGN AIDS

ACI 15.8

fcf = fc footing
fcc = fc column

for
compression
force only

A1 = bl

= 0.7 ACI 9.3.2.4

fcc > 2fcf

Bearing strength
of column

Bearing strength
of footing

ACI 10.17.1

Pnb = ( 0.85fcc A1 )

Pnb =

A2
[( 0.85fcf A1 )]
A1

A2
2.0
A1

Pnb = 0.595fcc A1

Pnb = 1.19fcf A1

ACI 15.8.1.1the least

Pnb

ACI 15.8.2.1

NO

Pu > Pnb

YES
ACI 15.8.1.2

Asmin = 0.005A1

As =

Pu Pnb
fy

the largest

Asreq' d = max ( As ,Asmin )

select dowels
reinforcement

ACI 10.17.1

Asprov ' d

kr =

Asreq' d
Asprov ' d

Strunet.com: Spread Footing Design V1.01- Page 13

Proceed to
dowels
development

Column Dowels Development

STRUNET

l2

CONCRETE DESIGN AIDS

l1

dowels
development

into footing
l1

into column
l2

fyc = fy column rebar

& dowels

ACI 15.8.2.3
NO

col. bars are #14

or #18 and in
compression only?

YES
ACI 15.8.2.3
development is
the largest of

ACI 12.3.2

ldb =

0.02dbfyc
fcc

0.0003dbfyc

ACI 12.3.2

ldb =

0.02dbfyc
fcf

col. bar (db 14 &

18) develop. length

dowel comp. lap

splice ls

ACI 12.16.1

0.0003dbfyc

fy 60 ksi

NO

YES

ldb =

0.02dbfyc
fcc

0.0003dbfyc

ACI 12.3.3.1

ld = kr ldb

ls = ( 0.0009fyc 24) db > 12"

the largest

lava = h 6
NO

NO

ld > lava

STOP. dowels are

fully developed.

ls = 0.0005dbfyc > 12"

fc < 3000 psi

ls = 1.33ls

ls = ls

YES

use larger number of

smaller size dowels, or
increase footing depth

Repeat
Check

Strunet.com: Spread Footing Design V1.01- Page 14

YES

ls

l2 = max ( ls ,ldb )