Skip to main content

Footing for 1600 kN with shear check

Short answer

Service load = 1600/1.5 = 1066.7 kN; area = 1.1*1066.7/180 = 6.52 m², provide 2.6 m square. Factored pressure 236.7 kN/m²; depth D=550 mm (d=490 mm). Reinforcement 12 mm @ 130 c/c both ways; shear safe. Bearing stress 10 MPa > 9 MPa, excess 160 kN carried by column dowels.

Design an isolated footing to carry an axial factored load of 1600 kN. The column is 400 mm by 400 mm in size with 20 mm dia longitudinal bars. The bearing capacity of soil is 180 kN/m2^2. For footing, adopt M20 concrete and 415 grade HSD bars. Check for shear is necessary.

Data and assumptions

  • Column 400 mm × 400 mm (long side a=400a=400 mm along the footing length); footing concrete M20, steel Fe415; column concrete M20; column bars 8-20 mm.
  • Given loads are factored: Pu=1600P_u = 1600 kN. Service loads = factored / 1.5: P=1066.7P = 1066.7 kN.
  • Allowable (safe) bearing capacity of soil = 180 kN/m².
  • The load of 1600 kN is a factored load.
  • Clear cover 50 mm for the footing (IS 456 cl. 26.4.2.2); effective depth d=D−60d = D - 60 mm (cover + half bar). Load factor 1.5.

Size of footing

Weight of footing and backfill is taken as 10% of the column load.

Areq=1.1 Pqa=1.1×1066.7180=6.52 m2A_{req} = \frac{1.1\,P}{q_a} = \frac{1.1 \times 1066.7}{180} = 6.52\ \text{m}^2

Provide a square footing L×B=2.6×2.6L \times B = 2.6 \times 2.6 m, area = 6.76 m² ≥\ge 6.52 m².

Factored soil pressure

Pu=1.5×1066.7=1600.0P_u = 1.5 \times 1066.7 = 1600.0 kN. pu=PuBL=1600.02.6×2.6=236.7p_u = \dfrac{P_u}{BL} = \dfrac{1600.0}{2.6 \times 2.6} = 236.7 kN/m².

Bending moments and reinforcement

Cantilever projections from the column face: along LL: (2600−400)/2=1100(2600 - 400)/2 = 1100 mm; along BB: (2600−400)/2=1100(2600 - 400)/2 = 1100 mm. Mu=pu×(width)×(projection)22M_u = p_u \times (\text{width}) \times \dfrac{(\text{projection})^2}{2}: Mu,L=372.3M_{u,L} = 372.3 kN·m, Mu,B=372.3M_{u,B} = 372.3 kN·m. Required depth for flexure: Mu,lim=0.138fckbd2M_{u,lim} = 0.138 f_{ck} b d^2 is far larger than the moment for d=490d = 490 mm, so the depth is governed by shear (one-way or punching). Trial D=550D = 550 mm, d=490d = 490 mm, found by the shear checks below.

Ast=0.5fckfy[1−1−4.6Mufckbd2]bdA_{st} = \dfrac{0.5 f_{ck}}{f_y}\left[1 - \sqrt{1 - \dfrac{4.6 M_u}{f_{ck} b d^2}}\right] b d; minimum steel = 0.12% of bDbD.

DirectionMuM_u (kN·m)AstA_{st} req (mm²)ProvideAstA_{st} prov (mm²)
Along LL (width BB)372.3218312 mm @ 130 c/c2262
Along BB (width LL)372.3218312 mm @ 130 c/c2262

Check for one-way shear (at distance dd from the column face)

  • Along LL side: Vu=375.4V_u = 375.4 kN, τv=VuBd=0.295\tau_v = \dfrac{V_u}{B d} = 0.295 MPa; pt=0.178%p_t = 0.178\%, τc=0.310\tau_c = 0.310 MPa (IS 456 Table 19, SP 16 formula). τv<τc\tau_v < \tau_c, safe.
  • Along BB side: Vu=375.4V_u = 375.4 kN, τv=0.295\tau_v = 0.295 MPa; pt=0.178%p_t = 0.178\%, τc=0.310\tau_c = 0.310 MPa. Safe.

Check for two-way (punching) shear (at d/2d/2 from the column face)

  • Perimeter bo=2[(a+d)+(c+d)]=2[(400+490)+(400+490)]=3560b_o = 2[(a + d) + (c + d)] = 2[(400+490) + (400+490)] = 3560 mm
  • Vu=Pu−pu(a+d)(c+d)=1600.0−236.7×0.890×0.890=1412.5V_u = P_u - p_u (a+d)(c+d) = 1600.0 - 236.7 \times 0.890 \times 0.890 = 1412.5 kN (average pressure; the effect of moment transfer is neglected).
  • τv=Vubod=0.810\tau_v = \dfrac{V_u}{b_o d} = 0.810 MPa; ks=0.5+βc=1.00k_s = 0.5 + \beta_c = 1.00, τc′=ks×0.25fck=1.118\tau_c' = k_s \times 0.25\sqrt{f_{ck}} = 1.118 MPa. τv<τc′\tau_v < \tau_c', safe.

Development length

Ld=0.87fyϕ4τbdL_d = \dfrac{0.87 f_y \phi}{4\tau_{bd}}, τbd=1.92\tau_{bd} = 1.92 MPa (M20, deformed bars): 12 mm bars (both directions) → Ld=564L_d = 564 mm. Available length from column face (less 50 mm end cover): 1050 mm along LL, 1050 mm along BB. Satisfied in both directions.

Bearing stress and transfer of load from column

Column area A2=400×400=0.160A_2 = 400\times400 = 0.160 m². Bearing stress =Pu/A2=10.00= P_u/A_2 = 10.00 MPa. Permissible bearing stress: column concrete 0.45fck=9.000.45 f_{ck} = 9.00 MPa; footing concrete 0.45fckA1/A20.45 f_{ck}\sqrt{A_1/A_2} with A1/A2≤2\sqrt{A_1/A_2} \le 2 gives up to 18.00 MPa. The lesser, 9.00 MPa, governs. Capacity of bearing = 1440 kN << Pu=1600P_u = 1600 kN, so the excess 160 kN must be carried by dowels: As,dow=1600000.87fy=443A_{s,dow} = \dfrac{160000}{0.87 f_y} = 443 mm²; the column bars (8-20 mm, 2513 mm²) are continued into the footing as dowels, which is adequate. Dowel length in compression Ldc=0.87fyϕ4×1.25 τbd=752L_{dc} = \dfrac{0.87 f_y\phi}{4 \times 1.25\,\tau_{bd}} = 752 mm (and the same lap with the column bars). Available depth in footing = 550 - 50 - 24 = 476 mm <Ldc< L_{dc}; dowels are bent at the bottom with 90° bends.

Detailing

PLAN                      ELEVATION
+------------------+      col
| #  #  #  #  #  # |      | |
| #  +------+  #  # |     _|_|__
| #  | col  |  #  # |    |_____|  <- D = 550 mm
| #  +------+  #  # |    bars both ways
| #  #  #  #  #  # |
+------------------+
 L = 2.6 m, B = 2.6 m
  • Bottom mesh: 12 mm @ 130 c/c along LL (lower layer), 12 mm @ 130 c/c along BB (upper layer), 50 mm clear cover; dowels 8-20 mm.

Answer: Footing 2.6 m × 2.6 m × 550 mm thick; 12 mm @ 130 c/c along the length and 12 mm @ 130 c/c along the width.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

All Design of RCC Structure chapter 11 questions →