MAT (RAFT) Foundations
Structural loads are too high or soil
conditions are too weak; spread
footings cover > one-third (or half?) of
the building footprint
Soil conditions or loading is so erratic
that special design is needed to
control differential settlements
2
MAT (RAFT) Foundations
Usually large concrete slab
supporting many columns
Commonly used as foundation for
silos, chimneys, large machinery
Provides larger FOS against bearing
failure:
– reduces bearing pressure
– at the same time increases bearing
capacity
Types of Mat Foundations
Flat concrete slab of uniform thickness
Slab thickened under larger column loads
Slabs with pedestals to support heavier
column loads
Slabs with two-way beams
Cellular structures
Rigid frames consisting of slabs and
basement walls
Concrete Slab of Uniform
Thickness
Slab Thickened under Heavier
Columns
Slabs with Pedestals to Support
Heavier Columns
Slabs with Two-Way Beams
Foundation Mat with Cellular
Structure;Walls act as stiffeners
Mat (or Raft) Foundation
Design of Mat Foundations
Bearing Capacity Analysis follows the
same approach as for spread footings
qult cN c sc d c zD N q sq d q 0.5 BN s d
Factor of Safety (Das, 2004):
Under normal D+L loads.. Minimum 3.0
Under extreme loads …Minimum 1.75-2.0
Design of Mat Foundations
Settlement Analysis
– Deformation of the slab
– Compression of the underlying soil (Follow
procedures outlined in Chap.7)
Differential Settlement of Mat Foundations
(American Concrete Institute Committee 336,
1988)
Modulus of Elasticity of Material used
in Structure Moment of inertia of
structure per unit
E I b length at right angles
Kr 3 to B
Es B
Width of raft
Modulus of Elasticity of Soil
Design of Mat Foundations
Differential Settlement of Mat Foundations
(American Concrete Institute Committee 336, 1988)
ah 3
E I b E I F I b
12
E I b flexural rigidity of the superstructure and foundation per unit length at right angles to B
E I flexural rigidity of the framed members at right angles to B
b
E ah / 12 flexural rigidity of shear walls
3
a shear wall thickness
h shear wall height
E I F flexibility of the foundation
If K r 0.5, then mat can be treated as rigidi.e. ( d / ) 0
If K r 0.5, then ( d / ) 0.1
If K r 0, then ( d / ) 0.35(square mats) and ( d / ) 0.5(long mats)
Structural Design of Mat
Foundations
Rigid method
– Mat is extremely rigid
– Contact pressure is planar
– Same assumptions used in spread footing
design
Simplified Elastic Methods
– Mat behaves like an elastic plate that is
supported on a bed of elastic springs
Finite Difference Method
Finite Element Method
