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ICC endorsements

e hilton

e hilton

Bronze Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2014
Messages
3,152
Location
Virginia
My doughter has some cracks in the walls & ceilings of her slab on grade house in south texas, and she is getting proposals from foundation repair companies. One particularly high pressure sales guy was saying their system has building code approval, and everybody else uses cheap inferior methods. Here‘s a shot of part of the brochure. Sure enough it claims to be certified by ICC-ES, but the details are vague. I tried to research it, wasn't easy. It’s the same ICC that publishes the code book, but it looks like the “certification” only says the method meets the definition of the code.
I’m not sure I like the idea of the ICC publishing this type of information. It’s not a UL rating, just an opinion that it meets the definition. I assume the ICC gets money for this. And the sales people twist it to make it seem like it's a code item.

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e hilton said:
My doughter has some cracks in the walls & ceilings of her slab on grade house in south texas, and she is getting proposals from foundation repair companies. One particularly high pressure sales guy was saying their system has building code approval, and everybody else uses cheap inferior methods. Here‘s a shot of part of the brochure. Sure enough it claims to be certified by ICC-ES, but the details are vague. I tried to research it, wasn't easy. It’s the same ICC that publishes the code book, but it looks like the “certification” only says the method meets the definition of the code.
I’m not sure I like the idea of the ICC publishing this type of information. It’s not a UL rating, just an opinion that it meets the definition. I assume the ICC gets money for this. And the sales people twist it to make it seem like it's a code item.
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And the ironic part is they claim the competition only uses short thingies … piers, blocks, cheap steel rods, etc, whereas they use “deep driven steel pile”. It’s funny cuz the land in the area is limestone with less than a foot of soil cover, so driving ground rods is tough never mind 20 piers.
 
e hilton said:
It’s funny cuz the land in the area is limestone with less than a foot of soil cover,
Click to expand...
So why is she having foundational problems? Are there problems with the doors or windows opening and closing?
Cracks in drywall ceilings and walls may be caused by a number of things. How wide are the cracks? more than 1/8 inch.

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e hilton said:
It’s funny cuz the land in the area is limestone with less than a foot of soil cover, so driving ground rods is tough never mind 20 piersBuilding foundations on limestone can encounter sinking due to several factors:
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AI says this and screw piles aren’t a good option for any of it.

1. Karst Formation: Limestone is susceptible to karst formations, which are landscapes characterized by sinkholes, caves, and underground drainage systems. Over time, the dissolution of limestone by water can create voids, leading to potential sinking of the foundation if these voids collapse.
2. Erosion: Water and natural elements can erode the limestone underneath the foundation, weakening its support and causing the building to sink.
3. Settlement: Limestone can naturally settle unevenly, leading to differential settlement where one part of the foundation sinks more than another due to variations in the strength or composition of the underlying limestone.
4. Construction Materials: If improper or inadequate materials were used during construction, they might not adequately support the weight of the building, causing the foundation to sink over time.
5. External Factors: Human activities, changes in groundwater levels, or nearby construction could also impact the stability of the foundation by affecting the limestone’s integrity.
 
Yes, the cracks are up to about 3/8” wide and have been getting worse the past year, probably due to the drought. It was an inexpensive tract house, built to minimum standards. A couple of the doors are hard to open. When i was there this summer i adjusted several doors and strike plates.
 
You said Texas. Many parts of Texas have a severe problem with foundations due to the soil being expansive clay -- which shrinks when dry and expands considerably when wet. These add-on piles might be a solution to mitigate the uneven settlement of your daughter's house, but they might not -- and there's a possibility that they could make the problem worse instead of better.

The ICC ESR acceptance only means the product is acceptable under the code for the uses specified. The ESR report does not presume to engineer the specific application, it just says an engineer can specify this product and be good under the code. I would strongly suggest that your daughter consult an independent geotechnical engineer.
 
Don't preach to me. We lived in the Dallas area for many years, it has very fertile but also very expansive soils. Foundation problems are legendary. In that area it is (relatively) easy to drive piers several feet deep. We moved to san antonio, it is limestone. Should be more stable, but the problem is the heat, low rainfal most of the year, and cheap construction. Installing fence posts is a nightmare. You know those lawn sprinklers that are on spikes that you push into the ground? Useless.
 
It sounds like she is west of the Balcones fault. I worked in Austin for a few years while attending UT, and I recall being able to use spread footings west of the fault. We had to use belled piers, grade beams, and void forms east of the fault.

Parts of Virginia in Triassic basin have shrink-swell soils, and several homes built in Chesterfield County in the 80s had problems because they had shallow footings. One of the recommendations I heard was to use trickle irrigation around the house to keep the soil from drying out. I guess the increased water bill was still less than the amortized cost of underpinning the footings.
 
Paul … i am in chesterfield county. I have not hard of any foundation issues in the area.
Right, some experts recommend a soaker hose around the foundation, but in south texas, where they go into mandatory water restrictions every june, it’s hard to justify watering every day. That and the fact the water evaporates very quickly.
 
4.3.1 IBC: Continuous special inspection in accordance
with 2021, 2018, 2015 and 2012 IBC Section 1705.9, 2009
IBC Section 1704.10, and 2006 IBC Section 1704.9 is
required for installation of the Ram Jack ® Helical Pile
foundation system. Where on-site welding is required, special
inspection in accordance with 2021, 2018, 2015 and 2012
IBC Section 1705.2 and 2009 and 2006 IBC Section 1704.3
is required. The special inspector must verify the following:
1. Verification of manufacturer product model numbers
(see Table 1).
2. Types, configurations and identifications of helical pier
lead sections, pilings, extensions, brackets, bolts and
torque as specified in this report and the construction
documents.
3. Installation procedures, anticipated and actual piling
depth.
4. Required target installation torque of piles and depth
of the helical foundation system.
5. Inclination and position of helical piles; hub of pile
extension in full contact with bracket; full-surface
contact of foundation brackets with concrete; tightness
of all bolts; and evidence that the helical pile
foundation systems are installed by an approved Ram
Jack® installer.
6. Other pertinent installation data as required by the
registered design professional in responsible charge
and compliance of installation of helical pile system with
the approved geotechnical investigation report,
construction documents and this evaluation report.

4.3.2 IRC: Continuous special inspection of helical pile
system and devices installed under the provisions of the IRC
defined in this report is not required.

5.13 Settlement of the helical foundation system is outside
the scope of this evaluation report and must be
determined by a registered design professional as
required in 2021, 2018, 2015, 2012 and 2009 IBC
Section 1810.2.3 and 2006 IBC 1808.2.12.
 
Shrink-swell soils are a potential problem in western Chesterfield Co. If I remember correctly, they were first encountered on a large scale in the Midlothian & Brandermill areas in the early 1980s. Builders poured footings just below the frost line, and the houses were OK at first. Cracks and other problems started occurring years later when soil moisture conditions changed. Soil tests and footing design by a RDP are required in expansive soil areas.

 
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