Architectural Presentation-RAFT FOUNDATION

FOUNDATION
MAIN FUNCTION IS TO CARRY THE LOAD OF THE SUPERSTRUCRURE TO THE SUBSOIL .
SELECTION OF FOUNDATION
THE TYPE OF THE FOUNDATION IS MAINLY DEPEND UPON THE FOLLOWING THINGS :-

TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION.
LOAD BEARING CAPACITY OF OF SOIL.
WHEN STRUCTURE HAS ONLY LIGHT LOADING SUCH AS DOMESTIC DWELLING HOUSE,THE RAFT OR MASS CONCRETE STRIP FOUNDATION IS SUFFICIENT.
THE PLAN SIZE OF A FOUNDATION IS DERIVED FROM
LOAD/
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOIL
TYPES OF THE FOUNDATIONS
STRIP FOUNDATIONS.
ISOLATED OR PAD FOUNDATIONS.
RAFT FOUNDATIONS.
COMBINATION OF ABOVE FOUNDATIONS.
PILED FOUNDATION.

STRIP FOUNDATIONS
REINFORCED CONCRETE STRIP FOUNDATIONS ARE USED TO SUPPORT AND TRANSMIT THE LOADS OF HEAVY WALLS.

ISOLATED OR PAD FOUNDATIONS
THIS TYPE OF FOUNDATION IS USED TO SUPPORT AND TRANSMIT THE LOADS FROM PIERS AND COLUMN.

RAFT FOUNDATION
THE PRINCIPAL OF ANY RAFT FOUNDATION IS
TO SPREAD THE LOAD OF THE ENTIRE AREA OF THE SITE.
A RAFT FOUNDATION NORMALLY CONSISTS OF A
CONCRETE SLAB WHICH EXTENDS OVER THE
ENTIRE AREA. IT MAY BE STIFFENED BY RIBS OR
BEAMS INCORPORATED INTO THE FOUNDATION.
THEY ARE MADE UP OF CONCRETE AND HEAVILY REINFORCED WITH STEEL,SO ENTIRE FOUNDATION WILL ACT AS A UNIT
THE RAFT FOUNDATIONS HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF REDUCING DIFFERENTIAL SETTLEMENTS AS THE CONCRETE SLAB RESISTS DIFFERENTIAL MOVEMENTS BETWEEN LOADING POSITIONS.

WHERE RAFT FOUNDATIONS ARE USE ?
THE RAFT FOUNDATIONAS ARE USED WHERE THE COLUMN LOAD ARE HEAVY AND THUS REQUIRING LARGE BASES.
WHERE THE BEARING CAPACITY OF SOIL IS LOW, RESULTING IN THE NEED OF LARGE BASE.
THEY ARE USED ON SOFT COMPRESSIBLE SUBSOIL SUCH AS SOFT CLAY OR PIT.
TYPES OF RAFT FOUNDATION
RAFT FOUNDATIONS CAN BE CONSIDER IN THREE TYPES

SOLID SLAB RAFTS.
BEAM AND SLAB RAFTS.
CELLULAR RAFTS.
SOLID SLAB RAFT FOUNDATION
THESE ARE CONSTRUCTED OF UNIFORM THICKNESS OVER THE WHOLE RAFT AREA.

THE EFFECT OF THE LOAD FROM COLUMN AND THE GROUND PRESSURE IS TO CREATE AREAS OF TENTION UNDER THE COLUMN AND THE AREAS OF TENTION IN THE UPPER PART OF THE RAFT BETWEEN THE COLUMN.

OFTEN THE NOMINAL MESH OF REINFORCEMENT IS PROVIDED IN THE FACES WHERE TENTION DOES NOT OCCUR TO CONTROL SHRINKAGE CRACKING OF THE CONCRETE.

BEAM AND SLAB RAFT FOUNDATION
BEAM AND SLAB RAFTS ARE ALTERNATIVES TO THE SOLID SLAB RAFT AND ARE USED WHERE POOR SOILS ARE UNCOUNTERED.
THE BEAMS ARE USED TO DISTRIBUTE THE COLUMN LOAD OVER THE AREA OF THE RAFT, THAT RESULTS IN THE REDUCTION OF THE SLAB THICKNESS.
THE BEAMS CAN BE UPSTAND OR DOWNSTAND DEPENDING UPON THE BEARING CAPACITY OF SOIL NEAR THE SURFACE.
DOWNSTAND BEAMS WILL GIVE A SAVING ON EXCAVATION COSTS WHEREAS UPSTAND BEAMS CREATE A USABLE VOID BELOW THE GROUNG FLOOR IF A SUSPENDED SLAB IS USED.

CELLULAR RAFT FOUNDATION

THESE TYPE OF FOUNDATIONS ARE USED ON SOFT COMPRESSIBLE SUBSOIL SUCH AS SOFT CLAY OR PIT.

SO DURING CURING PROCESS THE REINFORCEMENT AT THE BOTTOM SHOULD BE PROVIDED TRUE LEVEL SURFACE FROM WHICH THE REINFORCEMENT CAN BE POSITIONED.

A BLINDING LAYER OF 50 TO 75mm THICK OF WEAK CONCRETE OR COURSE SAND SHOULD BE PLACED UNDER REINFORSED CONCRETE (RAFT) FOUNDATION.

THE FUNCTION OF THIS LAYER IS TO FILL IN ANY WEAK POCKETS ENCOUNTERED DURING EXCAVATION.
REINFORCEMENT DETAIL OF RAFT FOUNDATION

Science of Vaasthu

If you can visualize a grid encompassing these 4 points you will get a square, known as the "mandala?. The earth?s tilt on its axis, the flow of magnetic lines which enveloped the surface of the earth, the effect of sunlight and moonlight collectively have an effect on the human existence on the surface of the earth. One cannot deny the fact that human body reacts to environmental factors like wind, water, temperature and energy lines.

The word Vaasthu is well known world wide and along with the growing interest it has also drawn skeptics and those who pass it off as a mere ?mumbo jumbo?. To day we have many who are adapting Vaasthu in their home constructions and scores of consultants offering solutions and designs as per vaasthu. Most often Vaasthu has been perceived by many as a religious practice and this has been solely due to the lack of proper traditional interpretation of the science-base of technological matter, that one meets with a Vaasthu treatise.

Vaasthu is a technical subject and with a proper understanding of the interpretations and logical reasoning, many of the confusions and contradictions can be overcome.

Vaastu is an ancient Hindu Science, over 6000 years old, which creates harmony in a place when the orientation and placements are perfect.

Vaastu in Sanskrit means "Place of dwelling" and originates from the Vedas. "Veda" itself means Knowledge. Vaastu originated from one of the four Vedas known as the "ATHARAVANA VEDA".

Vaastu which derives its state from the Vedas also emphasizes on the point that "Everything Vibrates & Pulsates" and is close to Quantum physics.

Vaastu also asserts through Vedic Philosophy that "Everything is interconnected."
The five basic elements of Vaastu are Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth and they exist not only inside us but around us too. The elements are also related to specific corners in a site. Vaastu corrections could be said to be based on aligning the elements and are not disturbed.

VaasthuPurusha: -
As in other religions, Vaastu also has its many myths from Hinduism and one such thing is the Vaastu Purusha. The ancient texts say that the Vaastu Purusha - a human body with its head at East and arms stretched depict the various organs like bones, heart, blood vessels etc. The diagonal lines especially from NE to SW are the energy carriers. These points are most vital and need to be considered very carefully prior to putting up any structure.

The concept of Harmony vs. Disharmony in any plot needs to be analysed which is depicted by the "Vaastu Purusha" or "Demon Faced God". Any mis-alignment or disturbance to vital area gives rise to energy imbalance and could be termed as a Vastu defect. The equivalent of the Vastu Purusha in FENGSHUI is the Dragon.
The relevant deities and the elements as depicted below identify the 8 directions.

Vaastu originated with temple architecture and design. Today it is a very scientific and mathematical approach to construct a good building. The Sthapatya Veda deals with Temple Architectutre and the basic classification would be based on the application. Vaastu and Agama are two cultural sciences that have been in vogue in the land of Bharata from very ancient times.

In the Upanishads (the sacred Text) has reference to "shilpa Vidyarahasyaopanishad" and "Vaastu Sutropanishad" which means texts giving information on the secrets of Temple and Statue architecture and dimensions and Building Architecture and dimensions.

Vaastu covers areas like Compass direction, Star and Time-of-birth- based calculation too. Remedies are plenty and colours play a major role.

Mechanics of Subtle Energy turning into Gross Energy is the basis of Vaastu and we could relate it to the equation E=mc2.
Vaastu and Feng Shui, hand-in-glove is a wonderful tool for greater harmony, peace & prosperity.
Homes constructed using proper vaatu will have happiness in their family.

ORIENTATION

The importance of orientation in a building must be considered at the
outset, when the architect is planning the location of the building on the
site, the aim being to ensure the maximum availability of useful natural
light and sunlight to the interior.
There may of course be severe restrictions where the building is set into
a rigid street pattern, or where there are severe external obstructions; but
even in these circumstances the best use of the daylighting available
should be considered. The architect will have the greatest flexibility to get
the building orientation right on a greenfield site, where he can plan the
site layout to take advantage of the sun path and the availability of the
daylight.
Taking an example from residential buildings in the northern hemi-
sphere, and using the simple fact that the sun rises in the east and sets in
the west, it would be normal to ensure that those rooms which might
benefit most from early morning light, such as a kitchen, morning room
or even bedrooms, are placed on the east side, whilst those more likely to
be used in the afternoon or evening such as living rooms face south or
west.
There will of course be debate about the desirability of selecting a
specific orientation for a particular use of room and it will be up to the
architect to discuss this with his client, and there may also be conflict with
the orientation of a room when associated with the ability to enjoy a
particular view.
As with all architecture a compromise will need to be established which
best fits the needs of the interior function. What is essential is that the
orientation of a building and the interior layout takes most advantage of
the daylight available and is a factor taken into consideration at the outset
of the building design.
Each architectural programme whether an office, school or church, will
have its own specific needs of orientation, and this is of special
significance where the interior function is one requiring the inhabitants
to sit in fixed positions, often the case in offices or classrooms.
Another aspect of orientation and one where the mere presence of
daylighting is reassuring, is the subconscious desire of people when
inside a building to keep in touch with the outside world, whether to
know the time of day or the nature of the weather. An example of this
might be taken from the modern shopping centre. The Victorians had got
it right when they introduced overhead daylighting from domes or barrel
vaults to their shopping arcades. But in the 1960s many of our early
shopping centres cut out daylight altogether, leading to people finding it
difficult to negotiate their way around or to find the exits.