Projects

Innovative Hybrid Footing for Light-Weight Structures in Expansive Soils: Reduce Carbon Footprint and Minimise Structural Damage

2 Feb 2024 - 31 Jan 2027

Swinburne University of Technology

$1,122, 840 (Cash + In kind)

Engineered Solutions

Challenge and proposed solution

Concrete slabs used in housing built on expansive soils face heave issues, leading to severe damage and high costs to homeowners.

Expansive soils are impacted by abnormal moisture conditions, and many homes in Victoria were affected during the millennium drought (1997-2010) and subsequent El Nino event (2012 – 2016). With climate change predicted to lead to chaotic climate conditions, the Foundation and Footings Society of Victoria (FFSV) and Association of Consulting Structural Engineers Victoria (ACSEV) intend to modernise building codes and practices to adopt innovative hybrid footing systems.

In this project, Swinburne University will investigate a hybrid footing system comprised of a waffle pod with screw piles in lab and via computational modelling. They will look into the performance of these modernised footing configurations against abnormal moisture conditions, swell movement and soil types. This project will produce design guidelines to enable the industry to adopt new waffle pod screw pile configurations.