DESIGN OF MAT (RAFT) FOUNDATIONS

Design Steps and Equations

For an example on Design of Mat Foundations click here
3D View of Mat (Raft) Foundation

y
L1

L2

A
Pu1

C
Pu3

Pu2
ex

Column dimensions l i x bi

B1

Pu
ey

D
Pu4

Pu5

F
Pu6
B2

Pu7
G

Pu8

Pu9
I

L
Top View of Mat (Raft) Foundation
1 of 6

Foundation Engineering 2
Design of Mat (Raft) Footings
Dr. Adnan A. Basma

STEP 1 CHECK SOIL PRESSURE FOR SELECTED DIMENTION

Allowable load P = !Pi
Ultimate load

Piu = ! [1.4DLi + 1.7LLi]

Ultimate ratio

ru =

Pu
, Ultimate pressure qu = qa x ru
P

Locate the resultant load Pu

In x- direction:

!My-axis = 0,

ex &

In y- direction:

!Mx-axis = 0,

ey &

"Pu3 $ Pu9 # L2

% "Pu1 $ Pu7 # L1
Pu

"Pu1 $ Pu3 # B1

% "Pu7 $ Pu9 # B2
Pu

,P
My x
Mx y )
'
Applied ultimate pressure, qu,applied = * u Iy
Ix '
*A
+
(
Where

A = Area = BL
Mx = Pu ey

and

My = Pu ex

Ix = ! B L

and

Iy = ! L B

For the mat shown in Top View, the following sign convention
is used to estimate qu,applied
x (+)

x (%)
A

C
y (+)

2 of 6

y (%)

Foundation Engineering 2
Design of Mat (Raft) Footings
Dr. Adnan A. Basma

The following values for x and y along with the sign conventions are
used to estimate qu,applied
Point
A

L1

L2

L1

L2

L1

L2

B1

B1

B1

B2

B2

B2

For the dimensions L and B to be adequate,

qu,max . qu

and

qu,min / 0

STEP 2 DRAW SHEAR AND MOMENT DIAGRAMS (L - DIRECTION)

The mat is divided into several strips in L-direction as shown below where
B' = B/4.
y
L2

L1
B

A
B'

B1

B'
B
D

II

B'
B2
M

L
B'

III

3 of 6

Foundation Engineering 2
Design of Mat (Raft) Footings
Dr. Adnan A. Basma

Calculations for Strip ABC:

a) The average uniform soil reaction, quI =

q uA $ quC
2

b) Total soil reaction Q = quI x (B1 x L) where B1 = B'

c) Total Column loads Pu, ABC = Pu1 + Pu2 + Pu3
d) Average load Pu, avg(ABC) =

Q $ Pu,

e) Load multiplying factor FABC =

ABC

2
Pu,

avg( ABC )

Pu,

ABC

f) The modified loads on this strip P'ui = (FABC) x (Pui)

, Pu, avg( ABC ) )
g) Modified Average soil pressure qu, modified = quI x *
'
Q
*+
'(
h) The pressure distribution along the length of the strip
qu, L (ABC) =

0 P' ui
L

Note that the same can be done for strips DEF (B2 = 2B') and GHI (B3 =
B') where:
quII =
quIII =

q uD $ q uF
2
q uG $ q uI
2

Steps (b) to (h) are repeated as above

The shear and bending moment diagrams for strip ABC is shown below.
Other strips will have similar plots.

4 of 6

Foundation Engineering 2
Design of Mat (Raft) Footings
Dr. Adnan A. Basma

P'u1

P'u3

P'u2
L1

L2
B

C
qu, L (ABC)

+
V(kN)

Top Steel between

Column 2 and 3

Top Steel between

Column 1 and 2

%
M(kN.m)

+
Bottom Steel
under Column 2

Moment drawn on tension side

5 of 6

Foundation Engineering 2
Design of Mat (Raft) Footings
Dr. Adnan A. Basma

Similar plots should be made for strips in B-direction as shown below

A

B
I

C
III

II

STEP 3 DEPTH OF CONCRETE, d'

Estimate d' for:
a) Column 1, 3, 7 and 9 by 2-way punching shear (p' = l + w).
b) Column 2, 4, 6 and 8 by 3-way punching shear (p' = 2l + w).
c) Column 5 by 4-way punching shear (p' = 2l + 2w).
(Use Equations For Punching Shear or approximate d' by Structural
Depth of Concrete table for punching shear failure).
Select the largest d' from (a), (b) or (c)

STEP 4 REINFORCEMENT
The calculations below are repeated for every strip in L and B direction.
a) Select the appropriate moments for each strip (refer to moment
diagram) and estimate the moment per meter by Mui/m = Mu/Bi or Li
b) Using Mui/m, d', fc' and fy estimate the reinforcement As (refer to
Equations for Reinforcement or the percent reinforcement can be
obtained directly from Percent Steel Tables).

For an example on Design of Mat Footings click here

6 of 6

Foundation Engineering 2
Design of Mat (Raft) Footings
Dr. Adnan A. Basma