The present invention relates to an improved poured concrete foundation for residential houses having foundation walls and built in expansive soil areas. The foundation consists of a perimeter trench footing which is monolithically constructed with a plurality of internal trench footings and column footings located within the perimeter footing; and the perimeter trench footing is integrated with a subsequently- constructed, overlying concrete foundation wall, throughout the perimeter of the foundation, using vertical reinforcing steel dowels of predetermined height at predetermined spacings. This ensures that the foundation wall behaves as a beam in addition to its primary functions of resisting lateral soil backfill load and transferring vertical building loads to the underlying perimeter footing. A plurality of grade beams monolithically constructed with a basement slab are placed at beam pockets provided at the footings. The resulting foundation structure, as a whole, is capable of resisting stresses of expansive soils without any detrimental settlement.
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