LAUSR

This paper examines the feasibility of using an innovative footing with a corrugated base to enhance the load-bearing capacity of shallow foundation, and to reduce the substructure’s subsidence as a whole or differentially. The corrugated base consists of inverted pyramidal protrusions which give a 3-fold advantages: (1) the pointed tips help smoothen the process of installation on site, (2) the protrusions provide additional contact surface between the foundation and the soil for better load-bearing, (3) the corrugated base entraps soil between the individual protrusions, improving the foundation’s stability against settlement and sliding. Scaled models of the 8 cm x 8 cm footing were produced using 3D printing: CONTROLsmooth base, Design A corrugated base with16 inverted pyramidal protrusions of 2 cm x 2 cm x 2 cm each, and Design Bcorrugated base with 64 inverted pyramidal protrusions of 1 cm x 1 cm x 1 cm each. Both designs had the same contact surface area with the soil, though the penetration depth of the pyramids and the space between the protrusions varied. Maintained load tests were carried out in simulated soil beds to determine the improved performance of the foundation. It was shown that the corrugated slabs reduced settlement up to over 85 % compared with the conventional smooth-base footing, with Design B giving slightly better results. It was also observed that the larger pyramidal protrusions (Design A) tended to entrap air between them, forming air cushions which resisted further penetration of the corrugated base into the soil, i.e. inhibiting mobilization of the maximum load-bearing capacity.