Foundation For Metal Building
Until the recent publication of Foundation and Anchor Design Guide for Metal Building Systems (McGraw-Hill, 2013), there have been no authoritative books on the subject. Foundation Engineering Consultants, Inc. has a package for a soils report & foundation design for metal buildings. We need foundation reactions & anchor bolt plan from your steel building manufacturer.
The goal for any foundation is to anchor the structure to the earth and provide strength, stability, and longevity. Design your foundation according to your local conditions regarding soil quality, frost lines, wind uplift and static load for a metal building that will last for years to come. Not only does the foundation contribute to the building's overall structure integrity, but it also can offer protection against flood damage and other hazards. This is especially important when you are constructing with metal, as the foundation requirements are often more complex than you may think at first.
R & M Steel offers a variety of foundation design drawing examples and designs for all your quality built, pre-engineered metal building systems. QE Engineering specializes in metal building foundation design. We have experienced engineers licensed in every state.
The concrete foundation is one of the first steps in every metal building project. Whether that means piers only, perimeter beams with enlarged footings, a full monolithic slab, or more complicated multi-pour foundations, this important phase of construction will set the pace for all trades that follow. A well-designed foundation is particularly important for any metal building. It ensures durability and prevents most forms of building deterioration in the future, such as leaking or flooding, shifting or tilting walls, and structural damage.
Alexander Newman, P.E., F.ASCE is a managing engineer in the Natick, Massachusetts, office of Exponent Failure Analysis Associates, where he is responsible for building collapse and failure investigations around the country. He has more than 30 years of professional experience and has been involved with design and renovation of numerous construction projects around the country. One of the most popular foundations for steel buildings is the floating slab. Also known as a slab foundation, this type uses a continuous grade beam slab to support a structure. It can be poured under a column or used to reinforce the vertical weight of columns.
First Method. You'll need to build the forms for a 4" thick slab using minimum 2800 psi concrete - make it thicker if you're putting heavy vehicles or RVs on it. The footings will be 12" deep, using the 4"' of slab as a part of that depth. The footings will have 2 #4 rebar top and bottom (or 1 #5 rebar) in a continuous run around the ... Whether you need an engineered foundation depends on local code, the structure to be biult on it, local soil, etc etc etc. You may need onlly a simple slab on grade where a site is scraped flat, margin forms set, and a slab of suitable thickness poured/.