Square or Round footers: What are the justifications for each?

[Changa]

Hi all! I've just been comparing Mack ride supports for a NL2 project, and noticed that square and round footers seem to be used interchangeably. The trend seems to be that each coaster uses either footer type throughout the whole ride, though alpina blitz is an exception to that. Most manufacturers seem to use both footer types with a similar degree of variance as well. So, does anyone know what the different benefits of each footer type are, and what external factors determine which type is suitable?

 

[Indy]

There are a number of reasons that can be inter-related including cost, location, and strength. Regardless, manufacturers don't choose the shape of the footers. That is generally chosen by the foundation company that the park selects.