Water and Wastewater Terms Beginning F

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

foundation

The material in the bottom of a trench. It may or may not have a layer of bedding soil placed over it. The foundation soil may be undisturbed and remain in place; unsuitable and must be removed and replaced with another material; so wet and soft that it must be displaced by dumping rock into the trench; or removed from the trench, placed back in the trench, and then compacted. Over-excavation and backfill of the foundation is required only when the native trench bottom does not provide a firm working platform for placement of the pipe bedding material.