×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Basement Window Well

Basement Window Well

Basement Window Well

(OP)
Hello,

I am designing a reinforced concrete basement window well. I have a couple of elementary questions regarding the design, so bear with me.

The bottom of the wall will be below the frost line. The well is rectangular in geometry with side walls extending to the building at right angles. My first question is how deep should the wall extend below grade from the inside of the well? My second question is what should the profile look like at the bottom of the wall? Should it look like a strip footing, or will a straight wall be adequate. The load is nothing more than a small (50psf) surcharge and the at rest soil pressure.

RE: Basement Window Well

I believe you answered your first question yourself.

Quote (PE2012)

The bottom of the wall will be below the frost line.

The frost depth needs to be measured from the lowest grade level, i.e. the bottom of the inside of the well.

The bottom of the wall may very well not need a wider footing by design, but check your code minimum requirements and/or the geotech report.

RE: Basement Window Well

Sometimes window wells are designed as free box retainers and not tied tight to the building, allowing frost heave relative to the building.

RE: Basement Window Well

I like JAE's suggestion. It also leaves less inclination for water intrusion later, when the well and the wall want to move separately from each other.

RE: Basement Window Well

(OP)
Can you explain what a "free box retainer" is? My understanding is that the well is not rigidly attached to the building and doesn't necessarily have to extend below the line of frost as referenced from the inside of the well. Since it is not rigidly attached to the building, the well may experience frost heave if the environment dictates, but, since it is not fastened to the building, it does not cause any structural damage. In addition, since there is no bottom to the well, any water can drain away.

I guess the question, then, is how far does the bottom of the well have to be embedded from the reference point of the inside of the well if extending it below the frost line is not a requirement?

RE: Basement Window Well

Perhaps 12" to 18"

RE: Basement Window Well

I would say it doesn't have to go below grade whatsoever, as long as you don't need it to by design.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources