ABSTRACT
The term foundation is often used to refer to the part of the structure that transmits the weight of and other force effects on the structure on to the ground. This is a narrow definition of foundation that can lead to problems in designing foundations for structures. A complete definition of foundation should include the soil or rock, more generally the geomaterials that provide the necessary resistances so that the structure (1) will not experience unacceptable deformation that can render it unusable for the intended purposes and (2) will remain stable or not fail to protect life and the investment made by the owners at all times during the design life. A more representative definition refers to the structure and the geomaterial components of the foundation as “structure foundation” and “foundation geomaterial” or more commonly as “foundation soils,” respectively.
