Numerical Analysis of Arched Strip Footings as A Foundation system of Bearing Walls Structures

摘要

The construction of bearing walls structures does not necessarily require using reinforced concrete plane strip footings, but these structures can be constructed using arched plain and reinforced concrete strip footings. This paper aims at analyzing plain and reinforced concrete arched strip footings, as foundation system of bearing walls structures, as an alternative solution to reduce the construction cost of buildings. The effect of soil type, arched strip footing's height and the bearing walls vertical load on the dimensions and capacity of arched strip footings were studied in this paper. A numerical model for the non-linear analysis of arched strip footing-soil interaction problem based on the finite and infinite element was implemented. A computer program was developed to model the arched strip footing-soil installation. The material and geometrical non-linearity of the concrete strip footing taking into account the non-linear stress-strain relation of concrete and presence of cracking were also considered. In addition, Duncan-Mohr-Coulomb Modified model was used to simulate soil non-linearity. The obtained numerical results were compared with the traditional method in designing of strip footings commonly used by structural engineers. Design charts were proposed and presented for structural designers in order to calculate arched P.C & R.C strip footing dimensions according to soil type and vertical load for such strip footings which considerably cost less than traditional bearing walls construction system.