Course Catalogue.

After participating in this course, you will be able to:

• Evaluate the suitability of shallow foundations for various loading and soil conditions.
• Analyze critical factors that influence the performance of shallow foundations.
• Design shallow foundations to withstand compressive, uplift, and horizontal loads in different soil types.
• Apply structural and geotechnical design principles according to CSA A23.3, CHBDC S6-19, AASHTO LRFD, and the Canadian Foundation Manual.
• Address special design cases and solve complex foundation challenges with practical examples.

Description
Gain an in-depth understanding of shallow foundation design, focusing on the theoretical and practical aspects essential for engineering applications. Explore the different types of shallow foundations, from footings to mat foundations, while learning to calculate the bearing capacity and evaluate settlement behaviour under various loading conditions. You'll also delve into the site-specific soil properties significantly affecting shallow foundation performance.

This course emphasizes the difference between working stress and limit state design approaches, covering North American standards such as CSA, CHBDC, and AASHTO guidelines. Throughout the sessions, you'll be introduced to special design considerations, including foundations near slopes, closely spaced foundations and numerical simulations. You'll also use real-world design examples to solidify your understanding and enhance your confidence in shallow foundation design.

Whether you are an engineer looking to refine your knowledge or a technician aiming to expand your skill set, this course provides practical insights into designing shallow foundations. By the end of this course, you will be better prepared to address various foundation challenges, considering soil-structure interactions, loading combinations, and code-compliant practices.

Who Should Attend
This course is ideal for geotechnical engineers, structural engineers, consulting engineers, and technicians who want to expand their expertise in shallow foundation design. It is also valuable for civil engineering professionals who need a deeper understanding of foundation behaviour, including project managers and construction inspectors involved in foundation design and implementation. Those involved in designing, inspecting, or maintaining structures supported by shallow foundations will find this course highly beneficial.

Additionally, recent engineering graduates seeking to specialize in geotechnical or structural engineering and experienced engineers needing an update on the latest foundation design practices will also gain significant value from attending. The course offers practical, code-compliant approaches and equips participants with the skills to handle diverse foundation scenarios.

Course Syllabus

Day 1

Background and Introduction

• Foundation types and classification
• Selection of foundation type
• Geotechnical investigation - site and lab testing

Design of Shallow Foundations - Bearing Capacity

• Footings on cohesive and cohesion-less soils
• Sliding and lateral stability
• Eccentric and inclined loads
• The uplift capacity of foundations

Design of Shallow Foundations - Settlements

• Short-term settlement
• Long-term settlement
• Serviceability criteria

Day 2

Structural Design of Shallow Foundations

• Load combinations
• Limit States
• Footing reinforcement

Design Approach

• Limit state design approach
• Design guidelines as per NBCC, the Canadian Foundation Engineering Manual, AASHTO and the Canadian Highway Bridge Code

Special Design Cases

• Foundations near slopes
• Closely spaced shallow foundations
• Mat foundations
• Special considerations-scour, frost, drainage, seismic

Design Examples