Sifu
SAWHORSE
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2011
- Messages
- 2,773
Got cussed out yesterday for requiring a DP on a job where a basement is being built into a sloped lot. The walkout side of the basement is 6-7' above grade with a foundation wall to that height. The contractor has filled the slab with stone. The slab fill slopes from about 1' of fill to the 6'. Within the slab are 3 bearing thinkened slab footings, crossing the sloped fill area. Assume the foundation wall at the back is sufficient. I had two concerns; 1) depth of fill and 2) bearing of the footings.
506.2.1 permits a max of 2' of fill with clean gravel, this is exceeded by 3 times.
Footings must be supported by undisturbed natural soils, the potential for differential settlement here is worrisome since on one end of these footings the fill is 1' or less and on the other it is 6'.
According to the builder the engineer didn't understand my concerns, which made the builder mad about spending 500.00 for a letter. The builder quoted things from the engineer that he said were "right in the code" that proved I was not justified in requiring a DP. I called the engineer to find out about my "mistake", and find out where this new info was. He told me he wasn't made aware of my concerns and hadn't even written his letter yet. He also said the quoted info came from his books, not the codes.
Bit of a rant but also want opinions on the justification of requiring the DP.
506.2.1 permits a max of 2' of fill with clean gravel, this is exceeded by 3 times.
Footings must be supported by undisturbed natural soils, the potential for differential settlement here is worrisome since on one end of these footings the fill is 1' or less and on the other it is 6'.
According to the builder the engineer didn't understand my concerns, which made the builder mad about spending 500.00 for a letter. The builder quoted things from the engineer that he said were "right in the code" that proved I was not justified in requiring a DP. I called the engineer to find out about my "mistake", and find out where this new info was. He told me he wasn't made aware of my concerns and hadn't even written his letter yet. He also said the quoted info came from his books, not the codes.
Bit of a rant but also want opinions on the justification of requiring the DP.