Building Code Glossary
Shallow Foundation: Building Code Definition
How the IBC 2009 define shallow foundation, where the wording differs, and which chapters depend on the term.
On this page
Last updated September 7, 2026 · Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The [ICC code library](https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes) publishes the current model text and the [ICC adoption maps](https://www.iccsafe.org/advocacy/code-adoption-maps/) show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Direct answer
Shallow foundation is a defined term in the International Building Code (IBC) 2009, in Soils and Foundations. The code's own words are: “A shallow foundation is an individual or strip footing, a mat foundation, a slab-on-grade foundation or a similar foundation element.” No other I-Code in this corpus defines it, so the IBC 2009 definition is the one to work from. The term is used in 3 chapters of this corpus, most often in Foundations (IRC 2009), Soils and Foundations (IBC 2009), Definitions (IBC 2009). These pages transcribe the 2009 model text; verify the definition against the edition and amendments your authority having jurisdiction has adopted. Record the jurisdiction, the adopted edition, the application date and any local amendment that rewrites the definition before you use it on a live project, because a term redefined by amendment changes every requirement that depends on it.
Content and cited inputs reviewed by Scott Barrington, Harth founder and architectural technology specialist · Published 2026-09-07 · Updated 2026-09-07.
What does this term mean?
Shallow Foundation — IBC 2009, Soils and Foundations:
A shallow foundation is an individual or strip footing, a mat foundation, a slab-on-grade foundation or a similar foundation element.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Shallow Foundation is defined once in this corpus, in the Soils and Foundations chapter of the International Building Code (IBC) 2009:
A shallow foundation is an individual or strip footing, a mat foundation, a slab-on-grade foundation or a similar foundation element.
Where shallow foundation is used in the code
The term appears in 3 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Foundations | IRC 2009 | 27 |
| Soils and Foundations | IBC 2009 | 16 |
| Definitions | IBC 2009 | 1 |
The term in use
How the code actually writes about shallow foundation, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
Vertical wall insulation shall extend between the frost protected shallow foundation and the adjoining slab foundation.
The terms shallow foundation is built out of
The definition above leans on 1 other defined term. Each carries its own code definition, and a local amendment to any of them changes what shallow foundation covers:
- Grade — IRC 2009: The finished ground level adjoining the building at all exterior walls.
Shallow Foundation: what to open, and in what order
Every row is a document this term depends on. The ICC code library and the ICC adoption maps cover the middle rows.
| Check | Where | Confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Read the definition in the adopted IBC | Soils and Foundations | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Foundations (IRC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Soils and Foundations (IBC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Definitions (IBC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Grade | |
| Local amendment to any of the above | Jurisdiction's amendment list |
A research aid, not a code determination. The authority having jurisdiction decides which edition and which amendments apply.
Where can you explore related guidance?
- Explore all glossary guidance
- Grade: Building Code Definition
- Helical Pile: Building Code Definition
- Deep Foundation: Building Code Definition
- Building: Building Code Definition
Sources and method
Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The ICC code library publishes the current model text and the ICC adoption maps show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Source links
Frequently asked questions
What is the code definition of shallow foundation?
The International Building Code (IBC) 2009 defines it in Soils and Foundations as: “A shallow foundation is an individual or strip footing, a mat foundation, a slab-on-grade foundation or a similar foundation element.” The 2009 model text is reproduced here; the definition that binds your project is the one in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted, as amended locally.
Which parts of the code depend on shallow foundation?
In this corpus the term is used across 3 chapters, led by Foundations in the IRC 2009. Those are the sections whose scope moves if the definition is amended locally, so read them together with Chapter 2 rather than on their own.
What is considered a shallow foundation?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IBC 2009 states, in Soils and Foundations: “A shallow foundation is an individual or strip footing, a mat foundation, a slab-on-grade foundation or a similar foundation element.” It is defined in IBC 2009. Because it is a defined term, whatever the adopted edition says it means is what every section using it means — so check Chapter 2 of that edition and any local amendment before relying on this wording.
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