How can you design coastal foundations to better withstand the elements and environmental impacts? This course written by Don Parnell, PE provides guidance on how to design foundations in a coastal environment. While design considerations for foundations in coastal environments are in many ways similar to those in inland areas, there are some critical differences. Like all foundations, coastal foundations must support gravity loads, resist uplift and lateral loads, and maintain lateral and vertical load path continuity from the elevated building to the soils below. However, foundations in coastal areas are different to foundation designs in inland areas in that they must generally resist higher winds, function in a corrosive environment, and withstand the environmental aspects that are unique to coastal areas (e.g. storm surges, rapidly moving floodwaters, wind and wave action, and scour and erosion). These aspects can make coastal flooding more damaging than inland flooding if foundations are not properly designed for the coastal environment. While this course is not intended to provide complete guidance on the documents, codes and standards associated with foundation design in every coastal area, it walks through the essential underpinnings of coastal foundation design to get you moving in the right direction.

Learning Objectives

• Foundation Design Criteria
• Foundation Styles: Open, Closed, Shallow and Deep
• Foundation Design Requirements and Recommendations
• Site Considerations and Soil Data
• Major Steps in the Design and Analysis Process
• Use of Pile and Pier Foundations
• Pile Installation Methods
• Lateral, Compressive/Tension, Uplift/Overturning Loading on Piles and Piers
• Scour and Erosion Effects on Pile Foundations
• Use of Grade Beams for Pile Foundations
• Diagonal and Knee Bracing
• Wood vs. Steel vs. Concrete
• Field Preservative Treatment of Timber Pilings