Define Floating Foundation or Balancing Raft
Floating Foundation is one kind of foundation type that is constructed for excavating the soil. This Foundation has to maintain soil excavation that the structure weight of the soil is almost equal to the total soil weight excavated from the ground adding the water weight.
Floating Foundation usually know as Balancing Raft, The building weight is almost the same as the full soil and water weight eliminated from the site before the construction building site.
Problems in Floating Foundation Design
There are 4 main problems in Floating Foundation Design and Construction. Those are mentioned below:
1. Excavation
2. De-watering
3. Critical Depth
4. Bottom Heave
1. Excavation
You must care about the excavation for the Foundation. Sheet piling, soldier piles, timber must support the sides of the excavation.
2. De-Watering
The examination of the level of the water table is essential before the excavation. De-watering is crucial to the low-level water table of excavation depth. You must keep an eye on the neighboring structures that are non-affected due to the low-level water table.
3. Critical Depth
If the soil shear strength is low, then excavation can make a theoretical depth limit using the formula of Terzaghi which is introduced in 1943. The formula is used to figure out the critical depth Dc.