When designing a foundation for a building in a soft soil area (e.g., Tokyo Bay area)
When designing a foundation for a building in a soft soil area (e.g., Tokyo Bay area), which of the following foundation types is most suitable to distribute the building load evenly and prevent excessive settlement?
A. Isolated footing
B. Strip footing
C. Raft foundation
D. Pile foundation
E. Combined footing
Answer: D
Explanation: The Tokyo Bay area and other coastal regions of Japan have soft soil layers with low bearing capacity. Pile foundations transfer the building load to deeper, more stable soil or rock layers, preventing excessive settlement and ensuring structural safety—this is a common foundation design scenario in the Kenchikushi Exam.
