Discovery CE offer extensive advice and recommendations on Foundation design, it being included in our Phase II Factual and Interpretative Reports and Letters. Within these recommendations, we also provide settlement analysis providing advice on a range of ground conditions and foundation solutions. Settlement will occur under all foundations. Structures with moderate loads or built on rock may experience negligible total settlement. For more substantial structures or softer soils, both total and differential settlement are typically considered. Of particular concern is settlement which occurs post construction, as immediate settlement can usually be compensated for during the construction process.

Foundation Engineering solutions may include:

  • Traditional shallow spread foundation which have low bearing capacities.
  • Pad Foundations for structural columns.
  • Strip Foundations for load bearing walls.
  • Raft Foundations for low bearing soils and reducing the differential settlements on variable soils.
  • Bearing piles/ Piled Foundations for soils that cannot be supported by the above foundations and for structures built over water.
     

    Furthermore, DCE’s settlement analysis experience covers structural foundations for a broad range of buildings from single houses to multi-story blocks with basements and small factory extensions through to large commercial warehouses. This includes:

     

  • Quantifying differential and total settlement.
  • Foundation types as well as different pile types.
  • Analysis of the effect of piles above deep tunnels.
  • Surcharging and pre-loading soft compressible soils.
  • Heave of basements.
  • Directional drilling and tunnelling induced ground movements.

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    Foundation reccommendations are common in our Phase II Interpretative and Factual reports, see the following
    CEMEX Ground Investigations and Ilfracombe Ground Investigation.