The foundation is one of the fundamental non-visible parts in the solidity of a home. With good foundations the rest of the structure will be able to carry out its purpose. The foundation is the structural part of the house in contact with the ground. For an appropriate choice of the type of foundation, the study of the terrain and its particularities is essential. For this reason, it is mandatory to carry out a Geotechnical Study of it. The Geotechnical Study is mandatory from the approval of the CTE. It is a set of actions and analyzes that allow us to obtain the geological information of the land on which we are going to build. With these geological and geotechnical data, the nature of the terrain and its behavior are determined. In such a way that we can choose the best possible form of foundation, both due to the characteristics of the terrain and the construction itself.
What is the foundation?
When we talk about foundations we are referring to a set of structural elements that are intended to transmit the load of the building to the ground. The objective of the foundations is to distribute these loads, in such a way that values such as the admissible ground pressure are not exceeded. If we exceed these values we would run the risk of breaking the ground or moving the foundations. The foundation must prevent some areas of it from supporting a greater load than others. The needs of the Prefabricated houses In terms of foundation, they do not differ from conventional homes.
We must keep in mind that it is usual for the ground to have a lower resistance than the elements it will support. We are referring to walls and pillars, so it is normal that the foundation surface that is in contact with the ground is larger than those elements. The foundations provide our building with stability and solidity. And both concepts are closely linked to the nature and composition of the land on which we build. That is why it is so important to know it, to be able to use the type of foundation that best suits our needs.
Foundation Types
Over the years, the types of foundations have been defined according to the characteristics of the terrain and the building. By the way, this phase of construction is the one we share with traditional construction. On top of our foundations we will put our construction system Modular Home.
To choose the type of foundation for our building, we look above all at the mechanical characteristics of the terrain. Data such as the water table, the cohesion of the terrain and the angle of internal friction or friction. These data allow us to calculate the capacity of our land to support the loads, without producing failures either due to shear or settlement. Foundations are usually divided into two, superficial or direct foundations, and deep foundations. The most common are the superficial ones.
Shallow foundations
We are going to stop at the superficial foundations. This type of foundations are used on land with a sufficient degree of cohesion and bearing capacity. At the same time, they are indicated for medium weight constructions. The load on an MH foundation is distributed in a horizontal plane. Within the classification of surface foundations we find several types. Cyclopean foundations, in terrain with great cohesion, stones are used to fill the trenches and mix with the concrete. It is a technique that is used when the vertical cuts in the ground do not crumble and there is no risk of landslides. It is a system that reduces the cost of the structure, but it must be done observing many precautions.
The most common foundations are based on footings. For this, an isolated footing foundation can be used, one footing for each structural element. Or continuous footings, for example under the walls along their entire length. The usual thing is to use a combination of both. Walls with continuous footings and columns with isolated footings. Isolated footings can be tied using what we know as tie beams.
Among the surface foundations we also find the foundation slabs. Basically it is a plate that floats on the ground. The support of the structure is in a horizontal plane that occupies the entire plan surface of the building. This type of foundation is exposed to bending forces. Its thickness will be given by the bending moments that act on it, by the loads that the rest of the structure communicates to it, and the elastic properties of the concrete.
Modular Home, prefabricated houses on solid foundations
The prefabricated houses of Modular Home They sit on solid foundations. We take into account the smallest details that bring us closer to perfection.
