×
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

Grouting CMU foundation walls below grade

Grouting CMU foundation walls below grade

Grouting CMU foundation walls below grade

(OP)
For CMU foundation frost walls, is it normally required to fill all cells below grade with grout in a cold climate?

RE: Grouting CMU foundation walls below grade

I have not seen any code requirements, but I typically call for all cells to be grouted full below grade, regardless of frost zone or not. I don't like the idea of the cells potentially filling up with water.

RE: Grouting CMU foundation walls below grade

It is not a code requirement to my knowledge either, but I have never seen structural drawings by any structural engineering company (including my own) that doesn't do that.

RE: Grouting CMU foundation walls below grade

In my neck of the woods, we use poured concrete.  But I have seen my share of hollow block frost walls.

RE: Grouting CMU foundation walls below grade

(OP)
My thought has always been to grout all cells solid below grade. If the cells are unfilled, water will eventually fill them up and may freeze and bust the block.

The only unfilled cells I have ever seen are in house construction.

RE: Grouting CMU foundation walls below grade

Must be a regional thing...I can't recall seeing any Engineers in my area calling for it.  Grout is typically called for only in reinforced cells, which isn't often in small retail/commercial/industrial bldgs without basements.  But the buildings are heated, have footings below code required frost depths, have perimeter foundation insulation, and have vapor barriers, if the water table is close to the surface.

I've also never seen a re-exposed foundation wall with the face shells blown out by freeze/thaw.  (Not that it doesn't or can't happen - I just haven't seen one).

RE: Grouting CMU foundation walls below grade

I have ALWAYS seen all cells below grade to be filled solid.

RE: Grouting CMU foundation walls below grade

I've seen both. The CMU is usually reinforced horizontally in the bed joints with wire at 16"oc. With running bond vertical loads should disperse to appear uniform as the load reaches the bottom. So long as the wall is always in compression and the net area is sufficient for the allowable axial load, grout isn't necessary. Grout solid at least the course where the diaphrams attach or bear.

RE: Grouting CMU foundation walls below grade

It is not uncommonm for CMU foundation walls not to be filled soild be grade, ie hollow.  

Personally, I would rather use a cast in place foundation wall rather than CMU - hollow or partially grouted.

RE: Grouting CMU foundation walls below grade

If I'm not mistaken, in California, CMU below grade foundation was required to be solid grouted. So there's minimum detailing requirements wherever you are that govern.

RE: Grouting CMU foundation walls below grade

Typical practice in my area (Northeast US) is to grout all cells solid below grade, whether reinforced or not.  Note that we always ask for grout, not concrete.  They are very different materials.

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