Foundation Details for Modular Buildings

Most jobs we complete involve some element of installation, either helping the client plan the groundworks or completing the whole job ourselves. There are three main options for the foundations:

A concrete base – often known as a Slab. This is a reinforced concrete base which is positioned under the whole building. There will be a single point emerging from the base where the Utilities enter the building.

You can see in this image, the building being craned into position has a square hole which will be positioned over the hole in the base.

Pillar or Block foundations: Instead of a base covering the whole area, this provides for point loads across the building. The structural engineer assesses the ground conditions, the size and weight of the building and the wight distribtion, and will calculate the nuber of pillars required.

In the image above, there is a steel ring beam under the toilet block, which then sites on the concrete blocks. The blocks themselves sit on a deeper concrete base. The ground will be made up to the edge of the building, leaving space for an airgap at the sides to allow for good airflow.

Strip Foundations: Where we are installing a multi section modular building, it if often the most economic and efficient to use strip foundations. These are foundations that run between each section of the modular pieces, providing the base for the steel ring beams.

As each section of the building is craned into position, it sits on the strips designed for each unit.