Foundation (architecture)

A Foundation of a building is the portion of its structure that serves to transfer the weight of the building into the ground itself. Most foundations extend underground, and the foundations of large buildings often penetrate the bedrock.

The primary concerns with a foundation is movement and uneven support. Water is the most common cause of foundation failure. Flowing water can remove supporting soil from underneath a foundation or freezing water can heave the supporting soil in one direction and then move the other direction when it thaws.

When heavy structures are built in arctic areas where the ground is permenantly frozen special refrigeration units must be used to keep the pressure of the structure from melting the supporting soil.