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IS 10807:1983 is the Indian Standard (BIS) for design and construction of isolated footings. This code provides guidelines for the design and construction of isolated reinforced concrete footings. It covers the determination of footing dimensions based on soil bearing capacity and the structural design of the footing for bending moment and shear, including reinforcement detailing.
Provides guidelines for the structural design and construction of isolated footings subjected to vertical loads and moments.
BIM-relevant code. See the BIM Hub for ISO 19650, IFC, and LOD/LOIN frameworks used alongside it.
Practical Notes
! This is an older code. While still in force, many design aspects are now directly covered in IS 456:2000 (Clause 34), which should be used for material properties and limit state design principles.
! The design process is often iterative: assume a footing depth, check for one-way and two-way shear, and increase depth if the checks fail.
! The specified minimum cover of 50 mm should be considered the absolute minimum; for aggressive environments, refer to the durability requirements in IS 456.
Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary
Covers structural design of all concrete elements, with a dedicated chapter on foundations including isolated footings.
EN 1992-1-1:2004European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Europe
HighCurrent
Eurocode 2: Design of concrete structures - Part 1-1: General rules and rules for buildings
Provides rules for the structural design of concrete footings (flexure, shear, reinforcement).
EN 1997-1:2004European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Europe
MediumCurrent
Eurocode 7: Geotechnical design - Part 1: General rules
Covers geotechnical aspects like bearing capacity and settlement, used in conjunction with Eurocode 2 for footing design.
BS 8110-1:1997British Standards Institution (BSI), UK
HighWithdrawn
Structural use of concrete - Part 1: Code of practice for design and construction
Contained integrated design rules for concrete foundations, similar in approach to older Indian Standards.
Key Differences
≠IS 10807 is based on IS 456:1978, which permitted both Working Stress Method (WSM) and an early form of Limit State Method (LSM). Modern codes like ACI 318 and Eurocodes exclusively use Limit State Design (or LRFD).
≠The location of the critical perimeter for punching shear in Eurocode 2 (2d from column face) is significantly different from the IS code position (d/2 from column face), leading to different design outcomes.
≠Eurocodes separate design into geotechnical (EN 1997) and structural (EN 1992) parts. IS 10807, like ACI 318, presents a more integrated approach within a single design context, though geotechnical data is sourced separately.
≠The partial safety factors for loads differ. For example, the common IS 456 combination is 1.5 DL + 1.5 LL, whereas ACI 318 uses 1.2 DL + 1.6 LL, and Eurocode uses 1.35 Gk + 1.5 Qk.
Key Similarities
≈All standards are based on the same fundamental principles of structural mechanics to ensure loads are transferred safely to the soil without structural failure or excessive settlement.
≈The methodology of sizing the footing area based on service loads and allowable soil bearing capacity (Area = Service Load / Allowable Pressure) is a common starting point in all codes.
≈The critical section for checking bending moment is universally taken at the face of the column, pedestal, or wall.
≈The critical section for one-way (beam) shear is consistently defined at a distance 'd' (effective depth) from the face of the column in both IS codes and ACI 318.
≈Both IS 456 (referenced by IS 10807) and ACI 318 define the critical perimeter for two-way (punching) shear at a distance of d/2 from the face of the column.
Parameter Comparison
Parameter
IS Value
International
Source
Minimum clear cover for footings
50 mm (for foundation)
75 mm (cast against and permanently in contact with ground)
ACI 318-19
Punching shear critical perimeter location
d/2 from column face
2.0d from column face
EN 1992-1-1
One-way shear critical section location
'd' from column face
'd' from column face
ACI 318-19
Ultimate Load Factor for Live Load (LL)
1.5
1.6
ACI 318-19
Ultimate Load Factor for Dead Load (DL)
1.5
1.35 (for permanent actions, Gk)
EN 1992-1-1
Minimum temperature/shrinkage reinforcement
0.12% of gross area (for HYSD bars)
0.18% of gross area (for Grade 60 / 420 MPa steel)
ACI 318-19
Material reduction factor for concrete (Flexure)
γ_m = 1.5 (material partial safety factor)
φ = 0.90 (strength reduction factor)
ACI 318-19
⚠ Verify details from original standards before use
Key Values6
Quick Reference Values
Minimum clear cover to reinforcement50 mm
Minimum thickness at footing edge (on soil)150 mm
Critical section for one-way sheardistance 'd' from column face
Critical section for two-way (punching) sheardistance 'd/2' from column periphery
Minimum reinforcement (HYSD bars)0.12% of gross cross-sectional area
Minimum reinforcement (Mild Steel)0.15% of gross cross-sectional area
Key Formulas
A = (P_total) / q_a — Area of footing = Total Load / Safe Bearing Capacity
τv_oneway = Vu / (b*d) — Nominal shear stress for one-way shear
τv_punching = Vu / (bo*d) — Nominal shear stress for two-way shear
What is the critical section for checking punching shear in an isolated footing?+
The critical section is at a distance of d/2 from the periphery of the column or pedestal (Clause 5.2.2.2).
What is the minimum thickness allowed at the edge of a footing?+
For footings on soil, the thickness at the edge shall not be less than 150 mm (Clause 5.4.1).
What is the minimum clear cover for reinforcement in footings?+
A minimum clear cover of 50 mm is required for reinforcement (Clause 5.5).
How is the required area of a footing calculated?+
The area is calculated by dividing the total service load (including self-weight of footing, column load, and backfill) by the safe bearing capacity of the soil (Clause 4.3).