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Backfill after undermining a footer

jar546

jar546

CBO
Joined
Oct 16, 2009
Messages
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Not where I really want to be
What is the procedure in your area for a situation like this where during construction an area of a footer gets undermined?

Do you require a special inspection from an engineer or approved special inspection company?

IMG_3067.JPG
 
Hard to say. What is above? Solid cast in place concrete foundation? Reinforced CMU? Point loads? Gut check. Both locations look like they have about 4' of disturbed earth. I would probably be erring on the side of caution. Engineer of record signs off.
 
A lot of it will depend on what is going to be sitting on top of that footer. In most cases it would seem like flowable fill would be more than adequate. Actually, the soil in that area doesn't look like it was supported very heavy load anyway especially for such a narrow footing.
 
No rebar or anchor bolts sticking up and the footing is buried.....makes me wonder what the footing is for. The forest of pvc is another question.
 
In either case commercial or residential it should be referred to an engineer for resolution. Any justification that a design professional is not needed when the IRC is used is void when you have a situation not provided for by the IRC.

What would be the basis of a special inspection? Since this is not what was called for on the construction documents there would be none. Thus a special inspection of the existing is not appropriate. You need an engineer or architect to understand the problem and develop a fix. Any repairs or new work would be subject to the same inspections as if they were shown on the original construction documents.

It appears that the electrical contractor or other trade decided to run a lot of conduit in one place with out checking. This happens more often than you would suspect. A common fix is to require that the conduits are adequately spaced to allow sufficient concrete or controlled low strength material to be placed between the conduits.
 
Msradell said:
I'm thinking it just looks like an encasement for some conduit rather than a footing.
Click to expand...

In this case it is tilt-up precast wall construction. The conduits are feeders to the different distribution panels. After the slab is prepared there will be a lot more conduits for the branch circuits. It was expected that the EC would have to do this and a plan was already in place for flowable fill and a special inspection through engineering.
 
Plumbing heh! Geez I would’ve never guessed that.

Why so many? I see twenty in a small area. What are they for?
 
Last edited:
jar546 said:
In this case it is tilt-up precast wall construction. The conduits are feeders to the different distribution panels. After the slab is prepared there will be a lot more conduits for the branch circuits. It was expected that the EC would have to do this and a plan was already in place for flowable fill and a special inspection through engineering.
Click to expand...
That's an awful small footing compared to what we normally see around here for tilt up construction. Unless I'm totally missing it it's < 2'0" wide and < 1'0" thick. This obviously has to be in California or some warm place because of footing has absolutely no depth. You know what the supporting capacity for this soil in that area is?
 
# ~ #

Regarding the white pvc piping, ...in the lower left
corner of the pic., there is some gray duct tape on
the piping.......Is this to cover a possible leak \
hairline crack in the pipe, or other ?..............Has
a water test been performed yet ?

Yes, El Jeffe I know that you do not do the plumbing
inspections any longer, but us inquiring minds wanna
know ! :D

# ~ #
 
Msradell said:
That's an awful small footing compared to what we normally see around here for tilt up construction. Unless I'm totally missing it it's < 2'0" wide and < 1'0" thick. This obviously has to be in California or some warm place because of footing has absolutely no depth. You know what the supporting capacity for this soil in that area is?
Click to expand...

Florida and it's sand. If I remember correctly this one may be for an interior wall but I could be wrong.
 
north star said:
# ~ #

Regarding the white pvc piping, ...in the lower left
corner of the pic., there is some gray duct tape on
the piping.......Is this to cover a possible leak \
hairline crack in the pipe, or other ?..............Has
a water test been performed yet ?

Yes, El Jeffe I know that you do not do the plumbing
inspections any longer, but us inquiring minds wanna
know ! :D

# ~ #
Click to expand...

Not sure why but I'm more than sure the plumbing guru will find it.
 
That is probably a grade beam to prevent differential settlement of foundation footings- Are you in a seismic design category D, E, or F? IF this is just a grade beam, you can bridge over spaces like that without much trouble, however, the area under the foundation footing will probably require flowable fill to rectify that, That would be an Professional Engineer's call.
 
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