When builders start to construct a skyscraper, they need to start at
the bottom with something to help make it stand up.
What do we have that lets us stand up? FEET! The FOUNDATION of a
skyscraper is like our feet. It needs to be steady, big enough, and
on level ground to be able to help buildings stand up tall.
First geologists tell the engineers how far down they need to dig to find
bedrock. That is the hardest part of the earth there is. That is where they need to put their piles, or strong poles. The engineers need to make sure the piles won't sink into the mud and cause the building to lean or fall--just like we would if our feet sank into a mud puddle!
After the engineers dig holes into the bedrock, they pour concrete down the holes to form strong piles. Then they excavate, or dig, a huge hole in the ground and build forms for the walls of the foundation. Then they pour more concrete, reinforced with steel rods and beams. This will form the foundation of the skyscraper--and sometimes the basement that results is several stories deep into the earth!
