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New Load on Existing Exterior Concrete Apron Slab

New Load on Existing Exterior Concrete Apron Slab

New Load on Existing Exterior Concrete Apron Slab

(OP)
I have an existing exterior concrete slab that is 12” thick and heavily reinforced. The slab is 200’ long and 20’ feet wide, and sits above approximately 1.5’ of compacted granular backfill. No insulation is present under the slab.

I am planning on placing a 20’ by 15’ masonry block enclosure that will house a new tank. No foundations will be provided for the masonry walls; the vertical bars of the block walls will be doweled and epoxied into the slab. I have checked the concrete slab for the gravity loads and found that the slab has sufficient strength for gravity loads.

My concern here is with frost heaving of the slab and the effect that would have on the masonry walls.

Questions:

-How can I determine the magnitude of frost heaving / uplift on the slab?
-How would I go about determining the effects of frost heaving on the masonry wall enclosure?

Your input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

RE: New Load on Existing Exterior Concrete Apron Slab

How long has the slab been there, have there been any extended freezes during its presence, and is there any evidence of frost heaving at present?

If the answers to the last two questions are yes and no, respectively, then I would say no worries.

Will the building be heated? If so, and if the answers to the questions above are anything but yes and no, then move the building in from the edge of the slab by 4 feet or so and heat the structure.

Short of extending the slab below the frost line, this is the best I can think of.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

RE: New Load on Existing Exterior Concrete Apron Slab

I would just reinforce the walls in both directions, core fill them, and let the whole thing move up and down as it chooses.

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