25 yr Foundation above frost line

[bradpwilson]

I am in need of a some help and/or advise.

I am currently looking at a large property with a barn structure and attached apartments. The superstructure looks to be generally in good condition with some problems that can be fixed, but the main problem is with the foundation of the whole structure. The foundation has horizontal and vertical cracking and separation in various locations throughout the perimeter. I would think this is due to the fact that the foundation was constructed above the frost line (4 ft in my area) and the frost heaving over the life of the building produced the separation and cracking.

Would it be possible to correct the described issue with some renovation techniques or would it not be worth the effort?

Thanks in advance.

 

[cvg]

yes you can correct the problem and it will be very expensive. You will have to determine if it is worth it. Get a good contractor out their to give you a quote.

 

[CarlB]

Is the barn heated? Same cracking there as for apartments? What part of the foundation can you observe, is there a crawl space? The following may not apply, but foundations of continuously heated buildings do not need to be below the frost line (and rarely are in some northern climates; 10' deep foundations are cost-prohibitive)

 

[cvg]

"foundations of continuously heated buildings do not need to be below the frost line"

In northern climates, foundations are routinely placed below the frost line for heated buildings. If this was not the case, then why all the basements which routinely go 10 feet deep? What happens when the heat gets turned off?

 

[aeoliantexan]

To evaluate whether the cracking is due to frost action, look first at the soil type and the availablility of water. Most soils are frost susceptible, especially silts, silty sands, and most clays. If your foundations are sitting on 4 feet or more of dry, clean sand or gravel, frost is proably not the cause.

Then try to evaluate the foundation movements with a survey of the relative elevations of the floor, the tops of the footings, or some other feature that was presumably built level, such as the eaves.

If frost action caused the movement, you may still be able to salvage the building by protecting the footings from future frost penetration, say by placing closed-cell foam insulation around the perimeter of the building, at least 4 feet wide. If parts of the building will be unheated, you will need insulation inside as well as outside. Be careful, the insulation can provide a pathway for termites to get to the building.

The loosening caused by past frost action may cause some modest future settlements, which are likely to be non-uniform. If the building has supported floors, you might be able to surcharge the foundations by stacking load on the floors and cause some of this settlement to occur before you rehab the building.

These are general ideas. You will need the guidance of a geotechnical engineer and structural engineer to carry them out.