A buoyant foundation is a reinforced concrete foundation designed to float during flooding. It keeps a house elevated above flood waters without needing to permanently raise the house high off the ground. The foundation uses floatation blocks attached under the house through steel frames and vertical poles. During normal times, the house sits close to the ground. But when flooding occurs, the blocks lift the house up while the poles guide it to rise and fall safely in the water without moving elsewhere. Buoyant foundations provide a cost-effective way to protect homes from flooding while avoiding issues like lack of access that come from permanently high elevations.

1. BUOYANT
FOUNDATION
REPORT
MADE BY :-
PARTH S. PATIL
A.B.C.M
B - 021
FR.Y.B.ARCH
L.T.I.A.D.S

2. BUOYANT FOUNDATION
• A reinforced concrete foundation designed
and located such that its weight and
superimposed permanent load is
approximately equal to the weight of
displaced soil and/or ground water.
• In the aftermath of hurricanes, home
owners in low-lying faced a major issue of
collapsing houses into floods.
• Permanently elevating a house to 12-15 feet
would not solve the issue as it creates new
problems, such as access to living space,
wind damage.
• Buoyant foundations are a solution to
elevated housing, one that allows homes to
remain on ground under normal conditions
but rise as much as necessary when
flooding occurs.
NORMAL CONDITION FLOOD CONDITION

3. • ADVANTAGES
 Houses remain close to the ground in
normal condition.
 Elevates house to exactly what is required
to stay above water.
 Cost effective.
 Can rise up to any height to keep the house
above flood.
ADVANTAGES OF BUOYANT
FOUNDATION
HOUSE ON BUOYNAT FOUNDATION IN NORMAL CONDITION

4. • It basically works like a floating dock. A
steel frame that holds the flotation blocks is
attached to the underside of the house.
• There are four “vertical guidance” poles
not far from the corners of the house. The
top of the poles are attached to the steel
frame.
• The poles telescope out of the ground,
allowing the house to move up and down.
• When flooding occurs, the floatation blocks
lift the house, with the steel frame
transferring the forces between the house
and the blocks. The vertical guidance poles
keep the house from going anywhere
except straight up and down on top of
water.
HOW BUOYANT FOUNDATION
WORKS

5. HOW BUOYANT FOUNDATION
WORKS

6. HOW BUOYANT FOUNDATION
WORKS
1) NORMAL
FOUNDATION
2) ELEVATED
FOUNDATION
2) BUOYANT
FOUNDATION
WHEN FLOODING OCCURS HOUSE 1 GET SUBMERGED AS IT IS BUILT UP ON A NORMAL
FOUNDATION, HOUSE 2 IS NOT SUBMERGED AS IT IS BUILT APPROX 3-5 ft ABOVE GROUND
LEVEL, HOUSE 3 IS NOT SUBMERGED AS IT IS BUILT ON BUOYANT FOUNDATION.
WHEN FLOODING OCCURS HOUSE 1 GET SUBMERGED AS IT IS BUILT UP ON A NORMAL
FOUNDATION, HOUSE 2 IS ALSO SUBMERGED AS THE FLOOD INCREASES HEIGHT,
HOUSE 3 IS NOT SUBMERGED AS IT IS BUILT ON BUOYANT FOUNDATION THAT ELEVATES 15-18ft.