9.15.3. Footings

9.15.3. Footings
9.15.3.1. Footings Required
  1. Footings shall be provided under walls, pilasters, columns, piers, fireplaces and chimneys that bear on soil or rock, except that footings may be omitted under piers or monolithic concrete walls if the safe loadbearing capacity of the soil or rock is not exceeded.
9.15.3.2. Support of Footings
  1. Footings shall rest on undisturbed soil, rock or compacted granular fill.
  2. Granular fill shall not contain pyritic material in a concentration that will damage the building to a degree that would adversely affect its stability or the performance of assemblies. (See also Article 9.4.4.4. and Note A-9.4.4.4.(1).)
9.15.3.3. Application of Footing Width and Area Requirements
  1. Except as provided in Sentence 9.15.3.4.(2), the minimum footing width or area requirements provided in Articles 9.15.3.4. to 9.15.3.7. shall apply to footings, where
    1. the footings support
      1. foundation walls of masonry, concrete, or flat insulating concrete form walls,
      2. above-ground walls of masonry, flat insulating concrete form walls or light wood-frame construction, and
      3. floors and roofs of light wood-frame construction,
    2. the span of supported joists does not exceed 4.9 m, and
    3. the specified live load on any floor supported by the footing does not exceed 2.4 kPa (see Table 4.1.5.3.).
  2. Except as provided in Sentence 9.15.3.4.(2), where the span of the supported joists exceeds 4.9 m, footings shall be designed in accordance with Section 4.2.
  3. Where the specified live load exceeds 2.4 kPa, footings shall be designed in accordance with Section 4.2.
9.15.3.4. Basic Footing Widths and Areas
  1. Except as provided in Sentences (2) and (3) and in Articles 9.15.3.5. to 9.15.3.7., the minimum footing width or area shall comply with Table 9.15.3.4.
  2. Where the supported joist span exceeds 4.9 m in buildings with light wood-frame walls, floors and roofs, footing widths shall be determined according to
    1. Section 4.2., or
    2. the following formula

      where
      W = minimum footing width,
      w = minimum width of footings supporting joists not exceeding 4.9 m, as defined by Table 9.15.3.4.,
      Σ sjs = sum of the supported joist spans on each storey whose load is transferred to the footing, and
      storeys = number of storeys supported by the footing.
      (See Note A-9.15.3.4.(2).)

  3. Where a foundation rests on gravel, sand or silt in which the water table level is less than the width of the footings below the bearing surface,
    1. the footing width for walls shall be not less than twice the width required by Sentences (1) and (2), and Articles 9.15.3.5. and 9.15.3.6., and
    2. the footing area for columns shall be not less than twice the area required by Sentences (1) and (2) and Article 9.15.3.7.

Table 9.15.3.4.
Minimum Footing Sizes

Forming Part of Sentence 9.15.3.4.(1)

Notes to Table 9.15.3.4.:
(1) See Sentence 9.15.3.7.(1).
(2) See Sentence 9.15.3.5.(1).
(3) See Sentence 9.15.3.6.(1).

9.15.3.5. Adjustments to Footing Widths for Exterior Walls
  1. The strip footing widths for exterior walls shown in Table 9.15.3.4. shall be increased by
    1. 65 mm for each storey of masonry veneer over wood-frame construction supported by the foundation wall,
    2. 130 mm for each storey of masonry construction supported by the foundation wall, and
    3. 150 mm for each storey of flat insulating concrete form wall construction supported by the foundation wall.
9.15.3.6. Adjustments to Footing Widths for Interior Walls
  1. The minimum strip footing widths for interior loadbearing masonry walls shown in Table 9.15.3.4. shall be increased by 100 mm for each storey of masonry construction supported by the footing.
  2. Footings for interior non-loadbearing masonry walls shall be not less than 200 mm wide forwalls up to 5.5 m high and the width shall be increased by 100 mm for each additional 2.7 m of height.
9.15.3.7. Adjustments to Footing Area for Columns
  1. The footing area for column spacings other than shown in Table 9.15.3.4. shall be adjusted in proportion to the distance between columns.
9.15.3.8. Footing Thickness
  1. Footing thickness shall be not less than the greater of
    1. 100 mm, or
    2. the width of the projection of the footing beyond the supported element.
9.15.3.9. Step Footings
  1. Where step footings are used,
    1. the vertical rise between horizontal portions shall not exceed 600 mm, and
    2. the horizontal distance between risers shall not be less than 600 mm.