Trench fill foundations are constructed by digging a trench around the entire perimeter of the building's footprint and filling it with concrete, whereas strip foundations are long, narrow concrete footings that are placed under load-bearing walls.
Sometimes referred to as a strip footing, a strip foundation is a type of shallow foundation often used within low to medium-rise residential buildings. Suitable only where the ground conditions are stable and with good load-bearing capacity, strip foundations are fast and cost-effective to build.
Strip Footing is not as strong as other types. It is not suitable for all buildings. Because strip foundation only goes down a few feet, it can be susceptible to damage from flooding or other water issues.
In 'trench-fill' narrow trenches are dug to the required foundation depth and completely filled with concrete. This approach minimises the amount of excavation as access to lay blocks or bricks in the trench is no longer required. In addition, the trench is only open for a short time, leading to safer site working.
Cost: Without formwork, trench foundations require more concrete than some other types of foundations, so they can work out to be more expensive. Limited suitability for larger projects: Trench fill foundations may not be suitable for large buildings or structures that require significant load-bearing capacity.
Basement. A basement is the most complex and the most expensive type of foundation.
The NHBC describes strip foundations as those with an effective thickness of concrete between 150 and 500 mm. Trench fill foundations are therefore classified as those having a thickness of concrete in excess of 500 mm.
Crary Trench Filler
Moves dirt over tile trench to promote proper filling/settling. Bearing caps help prevent rocks & dirt from damaging bearings. Hydraulically adjustable working width. Four or six, 28 inch notched blades guide dirt over trench and work well in variable soil types and conditions.
The thickness (T) of the foundation should be:
150mm to 500mm for strip foundation. 500mm minimum for trench fill foundations.
The underside of strip foundations should be deep enough to avoid frost action; for example, at least 450 mm unless they are bearing on rock, and at least 1 m on high shrinkage clays. Deep strip foundations may be necessary where soil with a suitable bearing capacity is deeper.
Footings - Strip footings
The barrier must be double layer polythene and 0.2 mm thick. The polythene barrier provides a separation between the concrete strip footing and the ground. It prevents 'down drag' (or upheaval) from the ground to the footing.
The location of the foundation as well as the weather greatly affect your foundation walls' strength. Inward movement in your basement walls may also happen depending on your soil and the amount of moisture it contains. The moister it is, the heavier it is, causing your foundation to shift.
While quite a few foundation types exist, there are four that are considered the most common. They are the basement, crawl space, pier and beam piling and slab.
Strip Foundations
This type of foundation is a continuous strip of concrete with a minimum thickness of 200mm.
C10/Gen 1. Known as C10 or Gen 1 concrete, this grade is often used for general, non-structural work and domestic applications. This includes pad foundations, shallow trench fill and strip fill foundations, and it's used for structures such as kerbsides and steps.
GEN1 / C10 concrete can be used for a range of applications as its a very flexible mix, these include: Mass concrete foundations. Agricultural / drainage. Trench fill.
Spanning miles, the elaborate system included first line firing trenches, second line supporting trenches, third line reserve trenches, communications trenches, barbed wire entanglements, and other defensive features above and below the ground.
Backfilling is the process of putting a mixture of soil, rocks or stones back into a trench or foundation after excavation, typically to bury a pipe. Compact proper backfill to provide strong base support for construction, reducing the chance of shifting, erosion or settling.
Price: Generally, slab foundations are your cheapest option when it comes to foundations, an excellent choice if budget is front-of-mind.
Piles—long columns made of concrete, steel, or wood—are driven deep into the ground to reach more stable layers of soil or bedrock. Piled foundations are common for tall or heavy buildings, or where the soil conditions are particularly poor.
Strip footings, otherwise known as strip foundations, are a shallow foundation type, usually boasting a founding level that is no greater than 3m from the ground surface. As the name suggests, the formation is in a strip of linear structure that ultimately serves to spread the weight across the total area of the soil.
Poured concrete is the strongest type of foundation for a house. Concrete is incredibly strong and durable, and it can be poured into any shape. This makes it ideal for supporting the weight of a house.