ABSTRACT
Foundation design and construction are among the most common activities engaging geotechnical engineers. In general, foundations for structures are thought of as being in one of two broad categories: shallow foundations; and deep foundations. Engineers select and design foundations taking a number of factors into consideration. Every project is different and has different requirements and constraints. Mat foundations may be the oldest type of shallow foundation used for large structures. Many historical structures are founded on masonry-mat foundations consisting of large, interlocked stone blocks and, later on, concrete. Deep foundations are needed when near-surface soils are too weak to support expected loads and/or loads are very high and ground improvement may be too expensive or not applicable to the site. Drilled deep foundations are often an economical and technically viable alternative to driven pile foundations in cases where the soils tend to be strong and construction can proceed with relative ease.
