The strength and durability of any structure directly depends on the quality of the foundation. And in any business, to achieve success, you cannot ignore the preparatory stage. Correct calculations save not only time, nerves, but also resources. How to calculate the volume of concrete for pouring the foundation correctly and what nuances must be taken into account in order not to get into trouble, will be discussed in this article.
Classification of foundations and structural features of buildings
It is necessary to immediately say a few words about the types of foundations and buildings, since calculations directly depend on this. If we are talking about the foundation, then first of all, its functionality is considered. Such structures are load-bearing or combined. Bookmark level - deep or shallow. In addition, it is important to take into account the region, soil type and depth of groundwater. Before getting too close to the question of howcorrectly calculate the cubature of concrete, the construction of the building, the materials from which it will be subsequently built, the layout and number of storeys are considered. There are 3 main types of foundation: strip, slab and columnar.
Under what conditions is the use of different types of foundation most effective
Strip foundation is a continuous continuous strip under load-bearing walls. This type is used to ensure that the load is distributed evenly over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe base. Therefore, the skew of the building due to heaving of the soil is not expected. However, it should be understood that silted, peaty or swampy soil is not suitable for such a base. In these cases, piles are used. Therefore, the determination of the soil and its features is an important task, and specialists can solve it. With normal soil, the strip foundation is equally well suited for the construction of both private cottages and monolithic buildings.
The next type of concrete base is slab. One continuous monolithic slab is poured over the entire area of the future building. This foundation has proven itself well on problematic soils. It will not only evenly distribute the load when the soil freezes, but even when it swells, the base will rise, so that later it will return to its previous position under its own weight. Additional benefits are durability and reliability.
A column foundation is a series of supports that are usually located at the corners and places where the greatest load will be distributed. The main downside isbuilding a basement is out of the question. It is used for buildings and structures with low weight.
When deciding the question "how many cubes of concrete for a foundation of various types may be needed" it is also necessary to take into account the climatic features of the area in which the construction will be carried out.
Optimal foundation depth
Soil freezing in various regions of Russia and the CIS countries has its own individual characteristics. For the most accurate calculations, it is best to use the data on the depth of soil freezing and lay the foundation below. In Vorkuta, Surgut, where winters are more severe, the ground freezes through no less than 250 cm, and in Moscow this value will be only 140 cm. In Minsk, Kyiv and Rostov, even less - on average it is 90-100 cm. But here Soil type also plays an important role. For example, take a rocky or semi-rocky soil. In this case, it is possible, in principle, to lay the foundation for a 2-storey cottage at any distance. The depth of groundwater during the period of freezing of the earth will also not play a role. But if we are dealing with clay or loam, then it is not recommended to go deeper than the calculated data of soil freezing for this region - if work is carried out, say, in Minsk or Kyiv, then dig trenches under the foundation should be at least 100 cm. And so on by analogy. When considering the question of how to correctly calculate the required volume of concrete, it would be useful to dwell on such an important point as concrete grades.
Specific applicationdifferent grades of concrete
The choice of a particular brand of concrete is influenced by the characteristics of strength. For preparatory work (for example, a rough floor screed), grade 100 or 150 is used. For small outbuildings with strip foundations and concreting paths, grade 200 and 250 are suitable. 300 and 350 - for the foundations of houses. 400 and 500 are used when there is a need for special strength. How to calculate the volume of concrete in relation to strip, slab and column types of foundation? This will be discussed below.
Calculating the volume of concrete for a strip foundation
How to calculate the volume of concrete with minimal errors? In fact, the task is not particularly difficult. To calculate using the formula, you need data on the width of the base (n), the height of the foundation (k), the length along the outside of the foundation (a) and the length along the inside (b). By inserting the values into the formula, you can get the desired volume of concrete (S):
S=2nk × (a + b).
Calculation of slab foundation
How to calculate the volume for pouring a foundation of this type? Here again, simple calculations borrowed from a school course in geometry will help. In order to get the volume, it is necessary to multiply the values of different sides among themselves - this is how the required value of the area is obtained, which, in turn, is multiplied by the height of the future foundation. And that's it: the required volume of concrete is now known.
You can, of course, use the usual monolithicplates, but in practice this rarely happens due to the high cost of the latter. Although the slab foundation is just a godsend in conditions of unstable soils, and with a close occurrence of groundwater, it also proved to be excellent. And its durability is beyond praise.
Column foundation and its calculations
The most economical option for buildings with low weight and at the same time unacceptable for all those who would like to have a basement. How to calculate the volume of concrete for a given foundation? It is not difficult. Again, geometry to help us. To accurately calculate the volume of concrete used, it is required to know the number of pillars at the base of the building and the consumption of concrete per unit. Calculations are carried out according to a formula that takes into account the length of one support (g) and its cross section (k):
V=(3, 14 × k2 / 4) x g.
Let's say you need to calculate the amount of concrete for a columnar foundation with pile parameters g=1, 5, k=0, 28 and the number of pillars 15 pieces. The solution will look like this:
(3, 14 × 0. 28 × 2 / 4) x 1.5=0.09 cubic meters of concrete (consumption per pile).
To calculate the total mass, multiply the result by the number of piles in the base:
0.09 x 15=1.35 cubic meters.
Concrete foundation calculator
To facilitate calculations, you can use the program - foundation calculator, since there are a lot of them on various sites. The recommended parameters are already set there - not only thewood material from which formwork can be made, but also the thickness of the board. You can also enter the following parameters there: thickness, depth and height of the foundation above the ground, its perimeter (the sum of the lengths of all walls).
In order to calculate the required amount of concrete using an online program, it is not necessary to know the volume formula. The calculator will automatically perform the necessary operations. Even the amount of cement needed can be calculated without difficulty, but another online calculator will help with this.
You can arrange a self-test by reading the information from the tables of cement consumption of different brands for the manufacture of concrete of the desired strength. To prepare a grade of concrete M400 using grade 500 cement, you need 440 kg per m3. It is clear that in any calculations there may be an error. It usually ranges from 3 to 10 percent. There may be several factors. These are inaccuracies during earthworks, and unloading of concrete (there may be losses), and shrinkage of the soil. In any case, these seemingly minor things can easily lead to negative consequences. There was not enough concrete - and this is already an emergency, because it is impossible to break the solidity. Bringing the missing material, taking into account transportation costs, will cost 2.5 times more.
So it's better to calculate everything in advance and purchase a little more material than you need. You already know how to calculate how much concrete is needed for the foundation. It is not difficult to make the necessary calculations with a calculator, it is convenient to work with it, but even if you have such an assistant, remember: calculations and preparatorywork in such an important matter as construction does not tolerate fuss and haste.
Conclusion
Consultation of a qualified specialist will help save resources and time. However, you should not completely trust the project documentation. Practice shows that volume calculations are incorrect in most cases. Theory is often at odds with practice. Therefore, armed with writing instruments, a notebook and a tape measure, many unpleasant surprises can be avoided. Especially if you order 10 percent more than the calculation turned out.
There is one more nuance when calculating the required amount of concrete. Always work with large and trusted organizations. Unfortunately, when releasing their products, some not very clean manufacturers produce fewer building materials. If you take care of convenient access roads and several unloading points in time, cooperation with factories will also significantly reduce losses. If you thoughtfully and painstakingly work out all the nuances, then the question of how to calculate the volume of concrete will not cause any particular problems.
