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DQS 252
BASEMENT
CONSTRUCTION
Quantity Surveying Department
Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying
UiTM Kampus Samarahan I, Sarawak
DEFINITION
OF
BASEMENT
WHAT IS BASEMENT?
Part of building which is below
ground level and which is used as
habitable accommodation A storey or several
(Harrison and Trotman, 2014)
stories of a building
that are either
Storey of which less than half completely or
is below ground level and it partially below the
can be wholly below ground
level. ground floor
( John. S Scott, 1974 )
purposes OF
BASEMENT
1. REDUCE THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION
PROBLEM
Maximize use of space by using of mass
transit system
To reduce traffic congestion and car use
into and out of cities.
E.g. Sistem Transit Aliran Ringan
(STAR) - (this system running
underground without trapped on the
traffic)
MRT UNDERGROUND SMART TUNNEL
LONDON UNDEGROUND MOSCOW METRO
PARIS METRO METRO DE MADRID
2. DEMAND FOR PARKING LOT AND
SHOPPING COMPLEX
Client will gain the long term profit
on rental charged to the tenancy.
E.g. Basement at The Spring
shopping mall, is charged by
the owner who wants to park
their transport.
3. SAFETY PURPOSES
Basement becomes a safety
and
protection area during a bad
weather like hurricane and
storm.
Basement also plays a functions
a store during good weather.
4. SERVICE PURPOSES
Services that serve the
operation of building.
E.g. Mechanical, electrical,
telephone and piping
installation.
Make the maintenance ease
without disturbed the
usable area above.
Factors of choosing
suitable basement construction method
1 SITE CONTRAINTS
2 SOIL CONDITION
3 SPACE FOR SOIL SLOPE
4 WATER TIGHTNESS
5 SPACE OF CONSTRUCTION
6 DEPTH OF BASEMENT
7 COST OF CONSTRUCTION
1. SITE CONSTRAINTS 2. SOIL CONDITION
Accessibility to the site and the Type of soil (consist sand, clay or slit)
proximity of existing structure and influenced to method of construction
building.
selected ( Robert W.B , 1996 )
Method of construction –
disturbance to near building e.g. Determine characteristic of soil by –
installation the sheet pile or ground
anchor – may affected to settlement trial pits, borings and laboratory testing.
to adjacent ground.
(The Institution of Structural
Enginer, 1975 )
3. SPACE FOR SOIL SLOPES
When excavation is unsupported.
Used outside the perimeter of the
4. WATER TIGHTNESS
permanent work where the excavation is
relatively remote from existing structures
Level of water tightness depends
on the purpose of the basement
Shopping mall : important to
have complete ‘dryness’ compare
to Parking.
5. SPEED OF CONSTRUCTION
Client want to short cut construction
6. COST OF CONSTRUCTION
period – to reduce interest rate and Selected suitable method –
monthly expenses.
to perform economic cost but
Method that can over lapping period –
in standard and approved quality
Top Down and Composite method.
Factor that influence cost :
(i) site constraint
(ii) type of soil
(iii) method of construction.
7. DEPTH OF BASEMENT
Influence to choose method of basement construction –
to give economic benefit to contractor.
(i) Top Down – Not require any back filling but cost of
retaining wall must be a great consideration
(ii) Open Cut – Not give any problems but cost for back filling
and excavation must be borne in mind.
High water level – floor & wall must be watertight
Low/deep water level – easier wall construction (no water)
METHOD OF
CONSTRUCTION
BASEMENT
1. OPEN CUT
2. CUT AND COVER
3. TOP DOWN
4. COMPOSITE
Simplest method.
The sides of the excavation are possible slope
METHOD 1.
protection – to ensure the stability of the
solid mass.
Constructed from bottom to upwards
OPEN CUT
After completion, area between basement
and side slopes – must backfilled.
• Limited constraint of site.
• Site must large enough to apply this
technique.
• Suitable for clay to sand soil – low soil
METHOD 1.
settlement
• Allow working space – provide stability to
soil
• Speed of construction – lowest OPEN CUT
performance – bottom upwards
• Construction and consider backfill work APPLICATION
• Depth – not exceed two storey height.
• Low cost method – not have
complicated action
Ramp
SEQUENCE OF CONSTRUCTION
⚫ Used when site is tight
- located within heavily built-up urban area
where ground move- ment to the adjacent
surrounding must be kept.
⚫ Soil retaining structures are firstly erected – to
METHOD 2.
prevent surrounding earth sliding according to
design
– excavation work can proceed safely until
reaching the deepest basement level (Walton D.W , CUT
1987 )
⚫ Basement constructed AND
– bottom upward in sequence with removal
of the temporary struts.
⚫ After completion, area between basement and side
COVER
slopes – must backfill
• Can apply to all type of site which
congested area or not METHOD 2.
• Suite to clay, sand, silt and mud soil – soil
retaining will retain from earth and water force.
• No allowance for working space or sloping
– have retaining wall CUT & COVER
• Retaining wall – provide stability to
outside earth during excavation
APPLICATION
• Low cost method – not have
complicated action
SEQUENCE OF CONSTRUCTION
Step 1 : Construct retaining wall
Step 2 : Excavation work (excavate level by level)
Step 3 : construct structure bottoms up
Step 4 : backfill where required
Step 5 : Removing any temporary retaining wall
⚫ Extension of the cut and cover
technique. METHOD 3.
⚫ Permanent basement structural wall are
employed – support
⚫ Excavation face with basement floor
slabs acting as struts for external walls ( TOP DOWN
tan y.H & tuck. L, 1992 )
⚫ Basement floor slabs are cast before
excavation.
⚫ Construction – top downwards
• Can apply in congested or non congested area.
• Not allow working space and sloping –
retaining wall.
have METHOD 3.
• Retaining wall – eliminate risk of soil settlem-ent.
• Speed of construction – very excellent
• Permanent structural members( retaining wall ) –
excavation support – eliminating cost for
TOP DOWN
•
temporary work.
Working space available – once basement slabs are
APPLICATION
constructed.
• Suited for tall building in a confined area.
• Depth – normally over 2 storey of basement
• Cost – very expensive
SEQUENCE OF CONSTRUCTION
ADVANTAGES
• Excavation in dark and dusty
• Problems with handling
• Super structure can be machine and plant
construct without affecting the • Limited headroom and
basement works working area
• These method will saving 3 to 6 • Dusty and dark working
months construction period space
• Good ventilation is strictly
important
DISADVANTAGES
• Mixture of top down and bottom-up construction
• Main objective : to optimize top down technique by
problem of excavation in limited headroom
technique
solving
condition.
METHOD 4.
• Perimeter structural walls – support excavation face pre-founded
columns are then installed.
• Construction :
– Perimeter portion of the storey 1 slab is cast off the ground
using the prefounded column – support flo-or slab
– Excavate to the middle portion to basement 1 formation level.
COMPOSITE
– After completing basement 1 slab, middle portion of storey 1
– Slab is then constructed – in bottom up upwards.
• Access opening – removal excavated material in the lower
basement.
• No headroom limitation – except the portion underneath
the cast slab.
• Speed up construction process
• Can be applied in congested and non
congested area
• Not allow sloping and working space – have
retaining wall
METHOD 4.
• Suited for all type of soil
• Retaining wall – can minimize soil
settlement COMPOSITE
• Saving in construction cost – utilize both
bottom-up and top down technique at APPLICATION
same time.
• Depth – over 2 storey of basement
• High construction cost – due to high risk
working under ground level without
proper ventilation and lighting.
SEQUENCE OF CONSTRUCTION
Explain with the sketches, the process of
cut and cover excavation techniques
for basement construction.
(10 marks)
Explain two disadvantages of top down
TUTORIAL
excavation technique
(5 marks)
