The strength of any commercial property depends on more than steel and concrete. The foundation carries every load, absorbs stress from shifting soil, and stabilizes the entire structure. Due to these demands, commercial foundations have distinct characteristics that necessitate careful planning and execution.
Here are some characteristics that make commercial foundations different from residential foundations:
- Weight. Your commercial building must support far more than walls and a roof. It must bear the weight of heavy equipment, extensive inventory, and high occupancy rates. This places a greater load on the foundation. It needs to be engineered to distribute this weight evenly across the entire surface to prevent settling and structural damage over time.
- Floor Area. The large, continuous floor area of a commercial building is a primary design consideration. Unlike smaller residential slabs, these vast surfaces are prone to cracking if not planned correctly. This requires a specialized approach to concrete mix design, reinforcement placement, and the use of expansion joints to manage thermal expansion and contraction.
- Foot Traffic. Commercial foundations are often subjected to constant foot traffic and, in other cases, heavy machinery and vehicle traffic. As such, they must have a higher strength to withstand this continuous abrasion and pressure without breaking down.
- Size. The typical thickness for a commercial foundation slab is four to six inches. However, the exact depth and design will vary significantly based on the building’s intended use and the soil’s load-bearing capacity. For example, a warehouse supporting heavy machinery requires a much thicker slab and more reinforcement than a small office building.
Overall, the integrity of any commercial construction project begins with the quality of commercial foundations, meaning that getting the engineering and pour correct is a non-negotiable first step. Here at Burlington Concrete and Asphalt Inc., we are concrete experts with the experience to execute these complex pours to specification. Contact our team today to schedule a consultation for your next project.