Shallow foundations transfer building loads to the earth near to the surface. Usually made of reinforced concrete, they provide strong, economical, durable and easy to build foundations, although their use is restricted to areas where the underlying soil is capable of adequately supporting the load. 

Shallow Foundations: Discussions and Problem Solving is written for civil engineers and all civil engineering students taking courses in soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering. It covers the analysis, design and application of shallow foundations, with a primary focus on the interface between the structural elements and underlying soil. Topics such as site investigation, foundation contact pressure and settlement, vertical stresses in soils due to foundation loads, settlements, and bearing capacity are all fully covered, and a chapter is devoted to the structural design of different types of shallow foundations. It provides essential data for the design of shallow foundations under normal circumstances, considering both US and Eurocode standards, with each chapter being a concise discussion of critical and practical aspects. Applications are highlighted through solving a relatively large number of realistic problems, with a total of 180 problems, all with full solutions, consolidating understanding of the fundamental principles and illustrating the design and application of shallow foundations.