Aboveground foundation for building superstructures

Abstract

A foundation for building superstructures is formed of metalogs that define an aboveground enclosure, a confined first fill that substantially fills the enclosure to a height sufficient to anchor and support the superstructure, and a loose second fill that is placed atop the first fill and leveled and compacted to form a hardpan floor.

1 . A foundation for building superstructures, the foundation comprising:
 metalogs resting directly on the ground but not embedded in the ground, the metalogs defining an aboveground enclosure, and   fill filling the aboveground enclosure to a height sufficient to anchor and support the superstructure,   wherein the fill comprises:   a first fill in frictional contact with the metalogs, the first fill having a weight sufficient to anchor and support the superstructure and being confined to avoid deforming the metalogs, and   a loose second fill atop the first fill having insufficient weight to deform the metalogs and being leveled and compacted to form a hardpan floor.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A foundation according to  claim 1  comprising a plurality of containers for confining the first fill. 
     
     
         4 . A foundation according to  claim 3  wherein the containers are selected from the group consisting of wooden barrels, cloth bags, paper bags, cardboard boxes, and metalogs. 
     
     
         5 . A foundation according to  claim 4  wherein the metalogs have axes that are oriented vertically. 
     
     
         6 . A foundation according to  claim 1  wherein each metalog has a cylindrical curvature and is substantially tangent to a vertically adjacent metalog and some of the second fill follows a cylindrical curvature up to the tangent to assist in locking the foundation to the superstructure. 
     
     
         7 . A foundation according to  claim 1  wherein the ratio of the height of the superstructure to the height of the foundation does not exceed 5:1. 
     
     
         8 . A foundation according to  claim 7  wherein the ratio is within the range of 4:1 to 3:1. 
     
     
         9 . A foundation according to  claim 7  wherein the ratio is substantially 5:1. 
     
     
         10 . A method of constructing a foundation for a building superstructure, the method comprising the steps of:
 laying metalogs directly on the ground but not embedded in the ground, the metalogs defining an aboveground enclosure; and   adding a sufficient quantity of fill to the aboveground enclosure in frictional contact with the metalogs defining the enclosure to anchor and support the superstructure.   
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10  wherein adding the fill comprises:
 adding a first fill; 
 containing the first fill so as not to deform the metalogs; 
 adding atop the first fill a second fill that is loose and of insufficient weight to deform the metalogs; 
 leveling the second fill; and 
 compacting the second fill to form a hardpan floor. 
 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein the steps of adding, leveling and compacting the second fill are performed sequentially and cyclically.