Foundation Design for Tall Buildings

This paper sets out the principles of a limit state design approach to design a pile or piled raft foundation system for tall buildings, and involves three sets of analyses: 1. An overall stability analysis in which the resistances of the foundation components are reduced by the appropriate geotechnical reduction factor and the ultimate limit state (ULS) load combinations are applied. 2. A serviceability analysis, in which the best-estimate (unfactored) values foundation resistances and stiffnesses are employed and the serviceability limit state (SLS) loads are applied. 3. An analysis to obtain foundation loads, moments and shears for structural design of the foundation system. The importance of appropriate parameter selection and load testing is emphasized. The approach is illustrated via its application to a high-rise building in Korea.