Sample Designs - Biax Foundation Systems

Since our introduction in 2013 thousands of Biax foundations have been installed around the world — all without one reported structural failure and/or callback. In the USA, although Biax has been used in single-family homes — especially for custom and high-end production builders — our focus is primarily on ‘large’ slabs for, in particular, multi-family and light commercial structures. However, a major developer of data centers recently came to us with more than 25,000,000 sf of foundations to be built and said they really liked the Biax system, its features, functionality, and cost benefits, and could we provide a solution for their needs, especially in terms of performance. That decision took about a data center second, and our segments now include single-family, multi-family, light commercial, AND those data center slabs that can’t afford to have even one day of very expensive unplanned downtime because of foundation issues.

Below are several ‘Sample Designs.’ Please review and then take them to your general contractor and/or concrete company and get them estimated for your geographical area. After that, give us a call, because we want you to have 1) a foundation that not only delivers superior performance vs. comparable alternatives, but 2) also provides it at considerably less cost.

Large P/T Slab in Southwest USA

Biax does ‘large’ P/T slabs better than anyone in the foundation industry. Click to see this 10,000-sf section of a project in Texas, utilizing our 10″ P/T pods + 4″ top slab + perimeter turn down. Not only does Biax save in labor (cycletime of four days vs. twice as long+ if you’re trenching across the footprint) and materials (25% less concrete and steel), but it also delivers superior performance vs. that in-ground design too. And by the way, there are no weather delays with Biax — which is something to think about during the spring and summer months in the Southwest . . .

Large P/T Slab in Western USA

In the western USA, Biax for large P/T slabs are an even bigger hit than in the Southwest because the outside finishes of buildings in the west are rarely brick but instead are wood or stucco, enabling engineers to often design Biax foundations WITHOUT a perimeter turndown. Download this to see a sample 10,000 sf project utilizing the 10″ P/T pods + 4″ top with no perimeter trench needed as this Biax design can handle three-story apartments without blinking. And, with concrete over $170* per cy from Colorado west to the coast, Biax foundations have been estimated to be $2.50 per sf less expensive than comparable, alternative, foundation designs.

(*Note: we were being modest with that $170 per cy number, as in Nevada, Utah, California and Hawaii concrete can — easily — be $180, $190, and even $200+ per cy. And, since Biax pods ‘void’ concrete vs. alternative designs, we’re not surprised if you get more than $2.50 per sf the more it costs.)

Large Rebar Slab in Western USA

Biax is the only company we know of in the world today offering different and distinct products for both mild and post-tension reinforcing options. No “you can use our product for either reinforcing option even if it’s not specifically made for it” with Biax. Download this sample plan and you’ll see a 23,000 sf warehouse in Nevada that used the 8.5″ Biax rebar pod + wire mesh + 3.5″ top slab. Built in rocky soils, the developers estimated savings of nearly $3.50 per sf vs. the alternative of a slab with footings that would have been cut through those rocks. We like this design a lot as it combines incredible performance — it’s the choice of the data center builders and their ultra-stringent specifications — with the cost savings everyone wants.

(Coming Soon)

Single-family P/T Slabs

Biax for single-family is used most often by builders of custom and/or higher-end production homes from coast-to-coast that want the security of knowing there will never be an issue with the foundation. Two sample designs can be found here: one using the Biax 14″ pod + 4″ top and another using the 10″ pod + 4″ top. In both designs, note there is no perimeter trench. We can also tell you that in both designs the builders hit their initial concrete estimation within 4% — unheard of when compared to in-ground ribbed and/or slabs with deepened footings.

Large P/T Slabs with Heavy Loads — Everywhere!

The samples above for large slabs have featured either the 10″ P/T or 8.5″ rebar pods. However, Biax has a 14″ P/T pod when the loads are big and performance requirements demand a foundation that can handle them. Two samples are included: a 14″ pod + 4″ top slab + perimeter turndown, another with the 14″ pods + 4″ top slab and no perimeter turndown. Incredible performance and equally as incredible cost savings when heavy loads are involved.

We know the performance of all the designs delivers some of the stiffest cross sections available today when compared to comparable alternatives and does it with significant cost savings. Again, we invite you to have your general contractor and/or concrete company take a design and estimate costs for your geographical area. But with that said, we have to end on one final thought: we have highlighted — and rightfully so — the cost savings and performance delivered for each design. However, in 2025 this is equally as important: Biax delivers one of the most environmentally friendly slabs in the world today. Less concrete means less CO2 emissions in the building cycle. Our pods are made of recycled polypropylene plastic, a very ‘green’ material. And, as a Biax slab requires no presoaking, it’s not uncommon to use 50% (!) less water than comparable alternatives. It’s an incredible value proposition. Contact us because we want your next slab to be a Biax slab.