Strengthening the soil under the foundation

The first step in strengthening the building begins with the soil under the foundation. The frame and foundation of the building depend on its foundation and without paying attention to it, compliance with other resistance requirements will be ineffective.

In this short article, we will first talk about the solutions used in the construction field to strengthen the soil under the foundation, and then we will discuss ways to improve the resistance of buildings that have been completed, but the properties of the underlying soil were not present. Given the importance.

Study of the soil of the construction site or local soil
Before any work, the soil of the construction site must be studied and analyzed to determine whether or not the soil has the necessary ground to receive the foundation. The presence of a large amount of clay or excessive dryness of the local soil makes the soil of the desired area known as unsuitable for constructing a building. In these cases, the issue of strengthening the soil under the foundation arises.

Geotechnical study, the key to strengthening
Before the field study, experts examine and study the geological aspects of the place to be built. Studying the soil from a geotechnical and geological perspective will greatly clarify its bearing capacity. If it is concluded that the soil of the place is unsuitable, the need for reinforcement increases.

Strengthening the soil under the foundation
After it is determined that the soil under the foundation needs to be reinforced, a decision must be made on the type and method of reinforcement. There are different methods for this, which will be discussed in detail below.

Use of materials
In material use, concrete or other solid mortar compounds are often used to create columns. In fact, the task of these columns is to withstand stresses and prevent the transfer of load and pressure to the soil under the foundation. This method is one of the oldest and of course the most effective ways to strengthen the soil under the foundation, which is of course used in all buildings as a working standard, regardless of the degree of weakness and looseness of the soil.

Changing the nature of the soil
If the construction site soil is clay or another type of loose soil, it is possible to change the surface of the building foundation by adding more resistant soil. Although this work does not have 100% effect in changing the nature of the soil, it can improve the soil resistance to the required extent.

Soil compaction
This type of soil modification and strengthening under the foundation does not work in all places and is more suitable for areas called granular soil. In this method, the soil is compacted and compacted. This work will definitely improve the strength of the soil under the foundation. In large projects, soil density after compaction is first measured in laboratories and if it is above the standard level, it is carried out on site. will be placed.

Using FRP method
FRP is a very popular new material that is widely used in various industries, especially the construction industry. The use of FRP rebar instead of steel rebar provides flexibility in concrete members, less use of mortar, and relative resistance in the infrastructure.

The most important advantage of using FRP is its flexibility, which makes it possible to use it in all places that need further strengthening.

Improve soil resistance
In areas where the soil is weak, the strength of soil components can be improved with additives. These additives can include cement, lime and some other materials. In this way, the geological parameters of the soil are improved and the appropriate level is reached.

Methods of increasing the resistance of the existing foundation
Apart from the things to be taken into consideration as pre-construction considerations in strengthening the soil under the foundation, some things can also be applied to strengthen the constructed buildings.

Increase foundation dimensions
Increasing foundation dimensions reduces the amount of stress on the foundation and generally increases the bearing capacity of the foundation. This method also prevents soil settling to a large extent.

Using a small candle or minute column
These are candles with diameters ranging from 100 to 200 mm that are placed vertically or obliquely around the foundation. It is common to use small candles or delicate pillars in places where candles cannot be used. The use of fine columns leads to the penetration of cement slurry into the soil, and this improves the mechanical properties of the soil and increases its bearing capacity.

Adding reinforced concrete (horizontal and vertical) to an existing foundation
Another method used to strengthen the soil under the foundation is to add reinforced concrete and bind the foundations together in this way. The connection and connection of the foundations makes the foundation resist the load as a uniform whole. This method is considered one of the best ways to improve the foundation strength in buildings that were constructed without following the necessary foundations.

conclusion
It is necessary to pay attention to the soil of the construction site before construction in the selected working methods to strengthen the soil under the foundation. In this article, we learned about the different methods available to strengthen soil before construction. It also presents some ways to improve the strength of buildings constructed without strict adherence to construction principles.