Numerical method for analysis and design of isolated square footing under concentric loading

Footing is an important part of a structure, because its repair is extremely difficult and cumbersome. Therefore, all structural parameters should be carefully considered when designing a footing. An isolated footing needs sufficient depth, when considering the fixed base assumption. Extensive research has previously been conducted to define and formalize the depth of a rigid footing, i.e., the depth required, such that footing behaves as a rigid. Alternatively, working stress method (WSM) and limit state method (LSM) provide a lower depth for low subgrades and a higher depth for high subgrades than that required by rigid condition if a unit width footing is considered for the design. This paper presents a simple approach for calculating the depth to meet the rigid condition under static loading. The proposed calculation method produced a better rigidity than the existing approaches and it correlated well to the finite-element method (FEM) for low subgrades. The reinforcement distribution is function of the bending moment (BM). Steel is uniformly embedded throughout the length or width of conventional footing methods, but this is inappropriate, because the bending moment is not uniform along the length or width of the footing. This paper proposes solutions to this by redefining the placement of steel in the central zone of the footing. The effective zone for reinforcement was based on the FEM results. This simple procedure was developed for calculating the maximum moment using the Diagonal Strip Method (DSM). DSM is a substitute for FEM, and it has been shown to correlate well. The BM at central zone as well as at the edges can be calculated to define the spacing of the reinforcements.