ABSTRACT
The engineering-geological conditions of the construction site are assessed by thorough examination of prospecting data, including the field and laboratory test data, static and dynamic probing, or even results of tests on piles or piled foundations. Analysis of different alternatives is one of the most important stages in the design of footings. Economic effectiveness is recommended to be assessed for the entire structure as a total cost of all footings. However, such computations are troublesome and require precise inclusion of a large number of footings. Possible construction in short spans of time should also be assessed, since it is linked directly to the entire construction procedure. One should be able to solve all principal problems arising upon comparison of the alternatives. The computations for all footings, with determination of their settlements and non-uniformity, including the effect of adjacent footing, is fairy complex, so that computer-aided schemes are most welcome.
