Design and Performance of EPS Footing for Lightweight Farm Structure on Peat Soil

The objective of this research project was to find a potential replacement for the conventional pile foundation principally for peat soil. It is fundamentally meant for lightweight and impermanent agricultural farm structures. Preceding the design and development of the foundation the physical characteristics of the in-situ peat such as; peat depth, soil consolidation, soil compressibility, water table, liquid limit, soil moisture content, soil bulk density, loss on ignition, soil bearing capacity and soil shear strength were verified. Two types of foundation designs i.e. single shell and pad foundations were assessed. Both utilized Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) as the footing material. They were conceptually designed as floating foundation employing the weight compensation technique. The soil bearing capacity, soil shear strength, self-load and the lateral wind-load are factors taken into consideration in the footing design. The total design load was considered at 100 kg per foundation. The water table fluctuation, soil surface subsidence, the foundation vertical movement and its stability were constantly monitored. After a scheduled period, the foundations continue to stay intact.