Design & Construction Precautions of Raft Foundation

While designing and constructing a raft foundation one must take all the necessary precautions which are applicable for any type of construction.

Besides those precautions, one must take the necessary steps to provide shore protection. It is a common term used before installation of a mat foundation. Shore protection is usually provided by shore piles. They support the surrounding loads and prevents surrounding soil from breaking at the time of construction.

While constructing a raft foundation one needs to understand the concept of uplift. When the soil outside the mat becomes saturated or the water table rises up, the water exerts huge upward pressure on the foundation. In such a case, the foundation tends to move up. This force is usually counterbalanced by strong downward force, like loads from the structure. But if the water table rises up while construction of the mat and no necessary steps are taken then there could be serious damage.