Floating Mat Foundation

Raft foundation also reduces the stress on the soil.

Floating mat foundation. A floating foundation is a type of foundation constructed by excavating the soil in such a way that the weight of structure built on the soil is nearly equal to the total weight of the soil excavated from the ground including the weight water in the soil before the construction of structure. It is a continuous thick concrete slab on the soil that extends the entire footprint of the building and increases the soil bearing capacity power. Mat foundation is also known as the raft foundation. It is a poured cement slab that has two deep edges that go just below the frost line in northern climates.

Mat foundation also known as a raft foundation or floating foundation is a way of giving extra support to a building. A floating foundation is the foundation of a building that does not use footings. One reason is if the soil on which the building is constructed does not have a bearing capacity. Mat foundation is a suitable solution for the construction of the building where the soil bearing capacity is very low as it transfers the weight of the building over the entire footprint of the building.

A raft foundation also called a mat foundation is essentially a continuous slab resting on the soil that extends over the entire footprint of the building thereby supporting the building and transferring its weight to the ground. The foundation actually does float on the earth and moves as temperatures compact and expand the soil.