The choice of topics for the selected chapters of the subject "soil mechanics, foundations and foundations" is caused by the need to provide readers with additional information compared to the standard training course that is studied in construction universities of Russia. An engineering methodology for calculating foundations is considered, which allows taking into account the non-linearity of deformation of the foundation under strip and free-standing foundations, which makes it possible to design foundations depending on any value of the specified settlement. Calculations are made taking into account two limit states, both using analytical calculations and using software according to the author's program.