Using stone (Boulders) to construct foundation wall?

[Morpheos137]

Hello I am located in CT. I have harvested a large number of boulders from clearing a house site on raw forested land. I figure why not put them to good use and incorporate them into an underground or above grade structural wall and fill the gaps with concrete. It seems it would save a lot of concrete from pouring a pure cement wall / footing. I am just trying to figure out how to do it according to code.

Another idea I have is using the boulders to actually build structural exterior walls of the home again bonding them together with concrete. The problem I have is again doing it according to code / a formal house plan.

A third idea I have is replacing a concrete slab for a home with a boulder stone floor. I have a machine that I could use to create a level floor / footing in lieu of a slab extending beneath the frost line using the boulders. Again the problem is not execution but code compliance. I would place the boulders in a grid tiling pattern and run utilities, radiant heat, through the trenches between boulders and again fill the gaps with concrete to create a level, bonded floor slab composed of boulders.

Does anybody a recommendation/reference for a local architect to come up with a formal code compliant building plan to incorporate my boulders? Located in CT, east of the river, Windham County.

 

[steveray]

Hello I am located in CT. I have harvested a large number of boulders from clearing a house site on raw forested land. I figure why not put them to good use and incorporate them into an underground or above grade structural wall and fill the gaps with concrete. It seems it would save a lot of concrete from pouring a pure cement wall / footing. I am just trying to figure out how to do it according to code.

Another idea I have is using the boulders to actually build structural exterior walls of the home again bonding them together with concrete. The problem I have is again doing it according to code / a formal house plan.

A third idea I have is replacing a concrete slab for a home with a boulder stone floor. I have a machine that I could use to create a level floor / footing in lieu of a slab extending beneath the frost line using the boulders. Again the problem is not execution but code compliance. I would place the boulders in a grid tiling pattern and run utilities, radiant heat, through the trenches between boulders and again fill the gaps with concrete to create a level, bonded floor slab composed of boulders.

Does anybody a recommendation/reference for a local architect to come up with a formal code compliant building plan to incorporate my boulders? Located in CT, east of the river, Windham County.

You could look into Cartier Structural Engineering or...Kathy LaCombe is an architect and Building Official out that way...Those are the only 2 I "know" out that way...

 

[Joe.B]

 

[ICE]

Might be a problem incorporating reinforcing rebar.

 

[Joe.B]

Hello I am located in CT. I have harvested a large number of boulders from clearing a house site on raw forested land. I figure why not put them to good use and incorporate them into an underground or above grade structural wall and fill the gaps with concrete. It seems it would save a lot of concrete from pouring a pure cement wall / footing. I am just trying to figure out how to do it according to code.

Another idea I have is using the boulders to actually build structural exterior walls of the home again bonding them together with concrete. The problem I have is again doing it according to code / a formal house plan.

A third idea I have is replacing a concrete slab for a home with a boulder stone floor. I have a machine that I could use to create a level floor / footing in lieu of a slab extending beneath the frost line using the boulders. Again the problem is not execution but code compliance. I would place the boulders in a grid tiling pattern and run utilities, radiant heat, through the trenches between boulders and again fill the gaps with concrete to create a level, bonded floor slab composed of boulders.

Does anybody a recommendation/reference for a local architect to come up with a formal code compliant building plan to incorporate my boulders? Located in CT, east of the river, Windham County.

Do you know the seismic design category?

 

[Joe.B]

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

View attachment 15973

Connecticut didn't amend that in adopting the IRC. The sticky wicket is the "shall not support a soil pressure greater than 30 pounds per square foot per foot ..." part. You're going to need a civil engineer or geotechnical engineer to investigate the specific soils where you want to build this, and determine whether or not the resulting pressures will be within the 30 psf parameter.

The superstructure still has to be anchored to the foundation to resist uplift and lateral displacement, so you'll also have to have an engineer design an anchorage detail.

 

[bill1952]

How big is a boulder in your view? To me a boulder is a lot bigger than you can pick up with out a hefty machine.

 

[Morpheos137]

Funny we have post and beam colonial era houses in my area with boulder basement walls that have been standing for 250-300 years. And yet the building codes require an engineered foundation to build something with sticks and OSB and vinyl. Sorry frustrated.