Impact of Shallow Foundations Rigidity on Low-rise Buildings Performance Resting on Varying Ground Conditions

Due to the extent of housing development in hilly terrains in many countries, ground preparation and re-leveling have come into effect. So, the construction of buildings on subsoil that comprises fill and cut becomes inevitable. Objective: Increasing the structure stiffness to minimize the differential settlement is one of the options that could be utilized for such cases. In the current study, a parametric study was performed to assess the influence of the stiffness of structures on reinforced concrete framed structures resting on variable ground conditions using finite element models. The investigated structure rests partially on dense sand and partially on loose, dense sandy soil. The structure stiffness varied with different tie beam depths. The distortion angle values were compared with the safe limit specified in standards to reduce cracks in brick walls. The results are presented in the form of curves, which allow engineers to evaluate the reasonable structure stiffness. Current research has shown that the tie beam rigidity can significantly reduce the distortion angle and allow the shallow foundation to be considered as a convenient option despite being located on a hill. Conclusion: The foundation rigidity improves the building's rigidity as a whole. Increasing tie beam rigidity decreases the differential settlement and the building distortion, reducing the straining actions on reinforced concrete elements and limiting the cracking of brick walls.