There is a recognised need for more housing in the UK. The availability of land and its quality is declining, and environmental issues need to be tackled. There is also a requirement for greater adaptability in housing to cater for the changes in lifestyle. It is clearly in the national interest that these challenges are addressed and where possible solved by the application of cost-effective construction. Basements provide an ideal opportunity for the better utilisation of building land general and can offer the improved use of sites with difficult ground conditions by providing an increased depth of foundation. They offer more living space for the occupier and enhance property values. The inherent good insulation provided by the ground helps to reduce energy demand and decrease the use of insulation materials within a dwelling. Until recently there has been a lack of design guidance on modern basement construction but in 1997 an Approved Document Basements for Dwellings was published. This was updated in 2004 to accommodate changes to the Building Regulations and in 2007 to extend the range of construction options covered.
This one day course will benefit engineers and other construction professionals engaged in the design and construction of domestic scale basements and will provide them with a greater understanding of the various options and design approaches.
The course is arranged into a number of topics as shown below:
● Basements in houses – Overall design considerations.
● The Approved Document for Basements
● Soil – Structure Interaction
● Waterproofing Basements
● Proprietary Systems for Basement Construction
● Design of Reinforced Concrete Basements
● Design of Plain Concrete Basements
● Design of Reinforced Masonry Basements
● Design of Plain Masonry Basements
Back to Home Page
