FUNDAMENTALS OF INDUSTRIALIZATION: DEVELOPING AN ACCURATE FOUNDATION

This paper describes the result and design process of a new foundation method for housing. The initial objective was to develop a foundation especially adapted for industrially produced large building components. These components ask for a foundation with an extreme degree of accuracy (maximal deviation was aimed less than 2 mm) both regarding height and horizontal position on top of the foundation. In the paper this foundation method is called accurate foundation. Two trial projects indicated that the new foundation method also offers important advantages in traditional building methods to simplify the building process of the foundation in addition to the appreciably exactness. This simplification is possible because all work below ground level (earthwork, foundation, and ground floor) can be completely contracted out to one specialized subcontractor. For this reason the foundation principle again was worked out in detail aiming a considerable simplification of the building organization for both building company and subcontractor. This version is called efficient foundation and was researched in a third trial project.

In order to furthermore minimize the construction period, a third version was developed using solely elements produced in advance (so-called industrialized foundation). In this improved foundation method it is possible to produce all required elements in a full industrial process without knowing specific data of a specific project and yet retaining the possibility to execute a predefined irregular foundation layout.

• INTRODUCTION

• TRIAL PROJECTS

• TOTAL FOUNDATION CONTRACTED OUT

• INDUSTRIALIZED FOUNDATION

• CONCLUSIONS

• REFERENCES