ᐅ Frost-Protected Shallow Strip Foundation for Overseas Projects

Created on: 15 Mar 2020 16:05
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Boris Frank
How deep would you set a strip foundation for a small 10 x 10 meter (33 x 33 feet) house (single story made of bricks, brick roof)? The house will be built in a frost-free and dry climate on dry but solid ground. In this case, do I even need reinforcement, or is simply pouring concrete into the formwork for the strip foundation sufficient? Is it enough to install the formwork at the surface, or do I need to dig a small trench of 10 x 10 meters (33 x 33 feet), and if so, how deep should it be in a frost-free zone? For such a small footprint and only one story, does the strip foundation need to be twice as wide as the brick walls? Or can I possibly use stronger concrete without reinforcement, simply pouring it into the formwork at the surface (meaning no trench, no reinforcement, just concrete in formwork at surface level)?
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Boris Frank
17 May 2020 23:18
Hello, I am the one who asked the question. The location is in FUERTEVENTURA, frost-free and extremely dry. I now have time and would like to start with the foundation. However, with frost-free soil and very little rain, and only a single-story building, how deep should I set a strip foundation? Or would a relatively thin slab foundation be better? Is 30cm (12 inches) enough for a strip foundation in this case? Or even less for just the ground floor? The house itself will be very simple, standard windows, standard front door, and a simple roof as well. If the budget allows, a Mediterranean-style tiled roof (all sides sloped, very low), or if the budget is tighter, something even simpler. I own the land and want to build a simple house to partly rent out and partly live in during the winter. Thanks for your help.
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Steven
18 May 2020 09:12
Hello Boris Frank

You want to do it yourself?!
OK, then dig 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20 inches) deep. Whether you spend 4 to 5 hours more on this doesn’t really matter.
And don’t skimp on the reinforcement. It really doesn’t cost much—around 200 to 300 euros, no more.
Isn’t Fuerteventura in a tectonically active area? Without reinforcement, a magnitude 4 earthquake would destroy your foundation.
Also, I would consider a strip footing and a slab foundation. A 20 cm (8 inches) slab including footings requires about 0.25 m³ (9 cubic feet) of concrete. It’s really not that expensive.

Steven
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Grundaus
18 May 2020 09:49
The reinforcement is not primarily due to frost but rather because of temperature differences and mechanical strength. These temperature differences also occur in Fuerteventura, and steel is not expensive.