Centrifuge modelling of the behaviour of flexible raft foundations on clay and sand

In recent decades, foundations used for housing constructions changed from strip foundations to flexible rafts including the whole ground floor. Strip foundations were usually calculated with the assumption of an even stress distribution, and this is often applied to modern flexible raft foundations. The result of these calculations does not represent reality and may often lead to inappropriate design and unexpected structural damage. Physical model tests have been carried out to study the stress distribution on different foundation types on a variety of soils, and under various loading scenarios. A better understanding of the stress distribution between foundation and soil is possible due to normal stress measurements at the interface. For working loads, a clear difference in stress transfer between foundation and clay and sand soils could be observed while a change in depth of soil or shallow inclined bedrock has less effect on the stress distribution at the interface.