Footing Design with Poured Earth

Abstract

Nowadays, sustainable building is a responsibility within construction and the use of bearing walls made of compressed earth blocks, rammed earth, poured earth, among other earth building techniques, has become more frequent. Nevertheless, generally these structures must be found over foundations that correspond to the conventionally used reinforced concrete. Even though from a sustainable point of view, the use of stone is accepted, within the cases of zones where this material does not exist, it is necessary to develop new ecologic technologies compatible with the elements it sustains. This paper proposes the use of poured earth or fluid soilcement, of the south area of Tamaulipas, Mexico as a material for foundations; pointing out the use of designed footings that can be substituted by a monolithic piece with low steel quantity and proposing its constructive method based on stone structures.