Summary: This guide walks you through basic use cases of the Continuous Footing Module in Vitruvius.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Starting Out
• Set the Properties
• Adding Loads
• Calculators
• Results

If you prefer video walk-throughs, feel free to skip over to our YouTube channel; otherwise, continue reading for an in depth walk-through:

Starting Out

To start an continuous footing design first click on the continuous footing design module icon located in the design module dropdown in the upper right of the screen next to your username.

This will load the continuous footing design module, which loads with a preset template.

The following steps do not have to be completed in this order and are designed to work dynamically with each other, so don't worry if you realized later you clicked the wrong thing or made a mistake, just change that item and the rest will follow suit accordingly.

Set the Properties

On the left side of the screen is the Properties tab, work progressively from top to bottom to specify the desired properties. The template is used to set predetermined properties. As you move down the properties new selection dropdowns will appear based on previous dropdown selections. 

Footing Properties

It is easiest to go through these top to bottom and check each one individually. Use the dropdown buttons to select between common values and use the arrows for the bar size to move up or down sizes.

Continuous Footing

This section of the properties is where the footing and stemwall dimensions are set, it also allows for a template selection for quick and easy designs.

Additionally, to ensure no reinforcing steel is used in the design, check the "Plain Concrete" checkbox.

Soil Properties

Just like the footing properties it is best to go through each one individually from the top down and input the desired values. 

Rebar

This is an optional section used to overwrite the current design and specify the exact number of reinforcing steel bars in each direction. Both directions must be specified if the override is checked.

Adding Loads

After the properties of the footing are chosen move to the middle panel of the screen to start the loading process. Here you can add any type of load listed on the left hand side of the middle panel as shown in the image below (Point, Lateral, Moment, and Linked). 

Once a load icon is selected an input box will appear where you can enter the loading data. As shown in the example "AddUniform Load" input box, the load axis is locked to the Z axis.

After load input click "Add" and the load will be added to the footing.

Once the load is added it can be manipulated in two different ways.  You can change the load by clicking on it which will bring back the load input box or you can change the load by locating the loads tab on the bottom of the screen.   

Calculators

The toolbar on the right side of the loading screen is where the calculators are located. These are some handy tools used to facilitate a faster design process, and save you time!

From top to bottom the calculators are as follows:

Dead Load Calculator

Coming Soon!

Tributary Width Calculator

Use the input boxes to enter the load type (the load axis is locked to the Z direction), load psf value for the tributary distance on each side of the stemwall, and the tributary distance on each side of the stemwall. The resulting load will be added to the footing accordingly.

Wall Load Calculator

The wall load calculator is used to quickly add loads from multiple levels above.

Results

After all the properties have been set, ensure that the sizes are set to the correct values, loads are set properly, and then hit the calculate button located in the top toolbar next to the Location name input box. The Save and Preview buttons are located next to calculate.

After the footing has calculated the adequacy cards will appear in the bottom. There is an additional card showing minimum requirements for the footing properties entered, these are based on calculations and building code requirements.

Once you are satisfied with the results of the design, click the Print Preview button to pull up a generated report of the calculations.

Thank you for reading! If you have any questions please reach out to our customer support at [email protected] or call 1-800-279-1353.