Civil Engineering/raft design

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Expert: - 8/29/2007


Question
I would like to you to help me solve the following problem. The soil safe bearing capacity of a reclaimed area is 65kn/m2. The utimate design load on the raft foundation is 50kn/m2.
The raft slab has a dimension of 35m by 17m; total area is 595m2. What will be the depth of the slab and the area of reinforcement needed? It will be appreciated if the calculations are sent along.

Yours truly,

Olumuyiwa


Answer
Hi Olumuyiwa,

I am sorry but I cannot offer full design services over this medium. As a guide, use 1 m thick raft with about 0.5% rebar top and bottom both ways- but this depends a lot on the soil conditions and loading pattern.

Hope that helps!

Kind regards,

Arshad

Civil Engineering

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Arshad Khan

Expertise

I can answer any questions to do with civil and structural engineering consultancy and construction industry in East Africa and the Middle East, and specifically with the analysis and design of reinforced concrete structures. My particular expertise is in the aseismic design and optimisation of tall buildings.

Experience

Employment history: 36 years in Construction and consultancy in the UK, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Africa, Somalia, Zambia, Austria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Doha and the U.A.E.

Organizations
.Fellow of Institution of Structural Engineers (UK) .Fellow of Institution of Civil Engineers(UK) .Member of the Institution of Engineers, Kenya .Registered Engineer, ERB, Kenya .Member of the Architectural Association of Kenya (Engineers Chapter) .Chartered Engineer (UK)

Publications
•1984: International Conference on the Art and Practice of Structural Design, London •1994: 3rd Int. Kerensky Conference in Structural Engineering, Singapore •2008: International Conference on High-Rise Towers, Abu Dhabi

Education/Credentials
BSc, 1st Class Hons, in Building Engineering, University of Bath, UK MSc in Concrete Structures and Technology, University of London. Diploma of Imperial College, UK.

Awards and Honors
•Science Congress Special Award (for 2-seater Hovercraft - 1968) •Institution of Civil Engineers Award for outstanding performance at Bath University (1975) •Concrete Society Postgraduate study Bursary Award (1976) •Consular Representative for British High Commission, Nairobi. (1995 to 1998) •Examiner for Institution of Civil Engineers Professional Interviews, Nairobi. (1997 to 1998) •Branch Representative in Vienna for PI assessment for Inst. of Struct. Engrs. (1999 to date)

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