Shallow Foundation - Mat-slab Foundations

Mat-slab Foundations

Mat-slab foundations, also called on-grade mat foundations for expansive soils, are used to distribute heavy column and wall loads across the entire building area, to lower the contact pressure compared to conventional spread footings. Mat-slab foundations can be constructed near the ground surface, or at the bottom of basements. In high-rise buildings, mat-slab foundations can be several meters thick, with extensive reinforcing to ensure relatively uniform load transfer.