Static Solution of Substructure of Apartment Building

The objective of this Master's thesis is the design of a reinforced concrete foundation structure of a multi-story apartment building. It is a watertight structure of a white tank. The foundation is designed as a combination of the foundation slab and piles. The internal forces were analyzed in RFEM software, based on the finite element method with the SOILIN add-on. The basement structure was subjected to the ultimate limit state and serviceability limit state design checks. Due to the waterproofing requirement, the reinforcement was designed for non-force effects at an early stage.

Author	Bc. Karel Kulík
University	Brno University of Technology – Faculty of Civil Engineering, Department of Concrete and Masonry Structures

The primary focus of this thesis is the design of a reinforced concrete foundation structure of a multi-story apartment building, with particular emphasis on ensuring waterproofness. The main solution was a white-tank type structure designed to withstand the effects of water and prevent it from permeating the underground spaces. The foundation is designed as an interaction between the foundation slab and piles, thus providing stable and safe anchoring of the building into the subsoil.

Reinforced concrete foundation with pile and slab elements designed as a white tank structure using RFEM and SOILIN.

White-Tank Foundation Design for Residential Building

For the analysis of internal forces and stability analysis, a sophisticated method was used, using the specialized software RFEM with the SOILIN add-on module, which allows for a detailed simulation of the structural soil and foundation behavior. As part of this thesis, the basement structure was subjected to both the ultimate and the serviceability limit state design checks, which included the analysis of deformations and other critical parameters.

A key aspect of the design process was ensuring the fulfillment of waterproofing requirements. This required the development of specific reinforcement measures to guarantee the stability of the structure during the initial stages of concrete setting, when the concrete is not yet fully hardened. The reinforcement was carefully selected, taking into account the non-force influences that can occur during the initial stages of concrete hardening, in order to ensure the long-term functionality of the entire foundation structure.