{"id":5264,"date":"2023-10-31T13:58:06","date_gmt":"2023-10-31T13:58:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/structuralconsultancy.com.au\/?p=5264"},"modified":"2023-10-31T13:58:06","modified_gmt":"2023-10-31T13:58:06","slug":"raft-slab","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/structuralconsultancy.com.au\/raft-slab\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Raft Slab"},"content":{"rendered":"

The strength and type of foundations determine how stable a structure is by providing support. Typically, foundational support systems can do this by shifting the weight of the building to the soil or rocks underneath which have the capacity to bear that load. Bearing that load helps make the building ready to have any sort of settlement inside. Therefore, foundations themselves have types of foundations as per the need of the environment such as the surface soil and its bearing capacity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Under the umbrella of foundation systems, then comes the raft foundations. Extending from that is another variant of the raft family, called the raft slab.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>First Off, <\/span>What is a Raft Foundation?<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

Also known as the Mat Foundation, it is a type of foundation system that is essentially a slab of concrete resting on soil that has columns, walls, or steel reinforcing and supporting it. This slab creates a route for loads to transfer their weights from the structure to the soil. Such a foundation type is versatile and can be used in residential, as well as commercial buildings. They can be mainly made use of in areas with poor soil, or when building storage tanks and even foundations that are meant to carry heavy equipment.<\/span><\/p>\n

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<\/span>What is a Raft Slab?<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

Foundations are meant to act as a large surface area on the base of a structure so that the heavy loads of it can equally be distributed across the base. Moreover, the foundations ensure that the soil beneath the structure is not overloaded with the weight of the structure. Besides serving the purpose of being an extra support, foundations in general provide a base for construction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A <\/span>raft slab<\/span><\/a>, on the other hand, is also a concrete slab, with thickening in areas across the foundation to add beams for added strength and even distribution of loads. In Australia, a rafter slab is becoming more prevalent in newly designed homes with Structural Consultancy being one of the top and holistic providers for it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These slabs expand throughout the base of the structure and are considered the simplest form of raft foundations. The slabs\u2019 thickness is usually uniform ranging between 150-300mm. The edges are normally thickened \u2013 somewhere between 300-700mm. The reinforced beams are of steel which are dug deep into the ground. Digging them as such is the key to providing strength and support. How deep the beam will be and how far they\u2019ll be spaced out is dependent on the soil.<\/span><\/p>\n

Learn More: Structural Engineer in Sydney<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/span>When Should a Raft Slab be Used?\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

Though the <\/span>type of raft footing<\/span><\/a> being used is dependent on the soil, there are still situations that demand these slabs as the best fit. The best scenarios are:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n