Raft foundation is actually a thick concrete slab resting on a large area of

soil reinforced with steel, supporting columns or walls and transfer loads
from the structure to the soil. Usually, mat foundation is spread over the
entire area of the structure it is supporting.
WHEN TO CHOOSE RAFT FOUNDATION?

Raft foundation is preferred when-

• The soil has a low bearing capacity.
• Load of the structure has to be distributed over a large area.
• Individual or any other foundation area would approximately cover 50%
of the total ground area beneath the structure.
• The columns or walls are placed so closely that the individual footings
would overlap.
• Stress on soil needs to be reduced.
• There is a possibility of differential settlement in case individual footing
is used.
• When soil strata are unpredictable and contain pockets of compressible
soil.
• Basement is to be constructed.
• Any other type of footing cannot be used advantageously.

RAFT FOUNDATION
 TYPES OF FOUNDATION :

1. Flat Plate Type Raft Foundation

2. Thickened Flat plate Type Raft Foundation

3. Beam and Slab Type Raft Foundation

4. Piled Raft Foundation

5. Cellular Raft Foundation

RAFT FOUNDATION
1. FLAT PLATE TYPE RAFT FOUNDATION

• Flat plate type raft foundations consists a reinforced concrete slab of uniform thickness covering the whole
bearing area. This is suitable when the columns are placed with uniform space between them and carrying equal
and small loads.
• Reinforcement in slab is provided in both directions in the form of steel mesh. Two mesh are reinforced at top and
bottom of the slab to balance upward and downward bending forces. Maximum thickness of 300 mm is provided
for concrete slab in case of raft foundation

RAFT FOUNDATION
2. THICKENED FLAT PLATE TYPE RAFT FOUNDATION

• Flat plate type is not suitable when the column loads are very heavy. To make it suitable, slab thickness must be increased.

• When the columns and load bearing walls are subjected to heavier loads, the slab is thickened under the columns and
walls and extra reinforcement is provided to resist against diagonal shear and negative reinforcement.

• The heavy loads from column introduces negative bending

moments and diagonal shear in to the slab. So, to resist this a
portion of slab under the column should be thickened.
Provision of pedestal under the column without increasing slab
thickness also helps to receive heavy loads.

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3. Beam and Slab Type Raft Foundation

• When column loads are unequally distributed or where the foundation is a very heavy structure where stiffness
is principal requirement to avoid excessive distortion of the structure as a result of variation in the load
distribution on the raft, in such case slab and beam type raft foundation is provided.

• In case of Beam and slab type raft foundation, beams are laid in perpendicular directions and all of these beams
connected by raft slab.

• This type raft foundation is suitable when the columns are carrying unequal loads and there is large space
between them.

RAFT FOUNDATION
4. Piled Raft Foundation

• This type of raft foundation is supported on piles. A piled raft is used when the soil at a shallow depth is highly
compressible and the water table is high. Piles under raft help in reducing settlement and provides resistance
against buoyancy.

• In case of piled raft foundation, raft slab is supported by piles in soil. This type of foundation is preferred for soils of
high compressibility and high water table. These are well suitable for high rise buildings.

• Provision of piles under the raft reduces the amount of settlement and also controls the effect of buoyancy.
Ultimate load capacity of foundation also increases.

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5. CELLULAR RAFT FOUNDATION

• Cellular raft foundation is also known as box type raft foundation or rigid frame raft foundation. In this type
of foundations, boxes like structures are formed where the walls of each box acts as beams and these are
connected by slabs at top and bottom.

• When the foundation is constructed for very heavy loads and on loose soil or where soil tends for uneven
settlement. In such case, the thickness of the raft slab may exceed 1 meter. In such case, cellular raft
foundation is more preferable than ordinary raft foundation.

• This type of foundation consists two slabs where a beam is constructed of two slabs in both directions
forming hollow cellular raft foundation. These foundations are highly rigid and more economical than other
foundations in such type of poor soil (low SBC) condition

RAFT FOUNDATION
Advantages of Raft Foundation

• Where site conditions involve mixed soil types, or areas of weakness, a raft solution can easily accommodate these
issues as stresses can be redistributed from locations of low soil bearing capacity to locations of higher soil bearing
capacity.

• Where access to the site is restricted, traditional foundations can be difficult, because the plant needed to dig to
the required depth is often too large. When raft foundations are to be constructed close to the ground surface
much smaller equipment is required which can be proved beneficial in cases where limited access to the site is
provided (e.g. urban environment).

• Raft foundations are constructed for shallow depths hence, it requires less excavation

• Well suitable in soils of low bearing capacity.

• Loads coming from superstructure are distributed over a larger area.

• Differential settlement of soil can be reduced.

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 Disadvantages of Raft Foundation

•In some cases, large amount of reinforcement is required for raft foundation which increases the cost of project.

•Special attention on raft foundations is required in case of concentrated loads.

•. One key issue that can affect raft foundations is edge erosion, and the edges of the raft do need to be treated and
protected to prevent this.

•Skilled workers are required to construct the raft foundations.

RAFT FOUNDATION
CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURE

SOIL TEST EXCAVATION REINFORCEMENT LEVELING &

DRESSING

COLOUMN FORM WORK CONCRETE CURING

POSITIONING WORK

RAFT FOUNDATION
 SOIL TEST

Bearing Classification Moisture water table

capacity of soil of soil content

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EXCAVATION

RAFT FOUNDATION
PLACING REINFORCEMENT

A batch of horizontal reinforcement placing

Another batch of reinforcement placement to complete the bottom mesh
Columns rod placement
Vertical rod placement over bottom mesh to hold the upper mesh
Upper mesh placement

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FORM WORK
1. TIMBER FORM WORK
2. PLASTIC FORM WORK
3. STEEL FORM WORK

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PLACING OF CONCRETE

RAFT FOUNDATION
CURING
THE PROCESS OF MAINTAINING THE MOISTURE AND TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS OF CONCRETE FOR
HYDRATION REACTION TO NORMALLY SO THAT CONCRETE DEVELOPS HARDENED PROPERTIES OVER
TIME.

RAFT FOUNDATION