Case Study
Civil Foundation & Equipment Installation Drawing Package
Civil & Structural EngineeringConfidential Details Removed
Problem / Requirement
A greenfield industrial facility required civil foundation design for multiple items of heavy static equipment including two vertical vessels, one horizontal pressure vessel, a pump skid and a fin fan air cooler structure. The site geotechnical report indicated variable bearing capacity across the plot, with one vessel location requiring piled foundations. The engineering package had to satisfy the civil contractor's IFC requirements and the owner's third-party structural review in parallel.
Engineering Scope
Review of geotechnical report and determination of allowable bearing pressures per soil zone
Foundation type selection — spread footings versus piled foundations — based on equipment loads and soil capacity
Isolated pad footing design for equipment on competent ground: size, depth, reinforcement and concrete grade per ACI 318
Pile schedule design for the vertical vessel pad: pile capacity, pile cap geometry and reinforcement
Anchor bolt design (tension, shear and interaction) for all equipment types using ACI 318 Appendix D method
Grout pocket and bedplate detail design to transmit equipment loads into foundation concrete
Equipment installation sequence drawing showing setting-out, grouting and bolt tensioning stages
Preparation of civil specification clauses for anchor bolt installation, grout specification and inspection hold points
Deliverables
Foundation Design Calculation Report — Spread FootingsPile Foundation Design Calculation Report — Vertical VesselAnchor Bolt Design Calculation Sheets (×5 equipment types)Foundation Layout Plan — Setting-Out DimensionsFoundation Detail Drawings — Pad Footing Reinforcement (×4 types)Pile Cap and Pile Schedule DrawingEquipment Installation Sequence DrawingAnchor Bolt and Grout Specification Document
Client Value Delivered
Full IFC foundation drawing package issued within five weeks, keeping pace with the overall civil construction programme
Pile foundation scope was limited to a single equipment location by optimising pad layout within competent-ground zones, reducing piling cost
Anchor bolt schedule in a standard procurement format enabled direct material ordering without further engineering input
Installation sequence drawing eliminated ambiguity for the construction contractor and removed a key hold point from the inspection plan
Third-party structural review passed with no major comments, reflecting the quality and completeness of the calculation package
Standards Referenced
ACI 318-19ACI 351.3R (equipment foundations)ASCE 7-22IBC 2021API 686 (equipment installation)ASTM A193 Gr.B7 (anchor bolts)ASTM C109 (grout compressive strength)
Software Used
STAAD Foundation Advanced (Bentley)AutoCAD 2024Microsoft Excel (anchor bolt and bearing pressure worksheets)HILTI PROFIS Anchor (anchor bolt verification)ETABS 2023 (pile cap model — secondary check)
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