Bearing Pony Wall on Strip Footing

[medeek]

Fairly standard construction in this neck of the woods is to frame joist (interior) bearing walls of 2x4 studs on top of 12"x6" strip footings. The designer does not call out any sort of anchor or fastening between the PT sill plate of the pony wall and the strip footing. Looking through other details and engineering details I don't see any specification to this affect. It would seem that some form of anchorage would be advised otherwise in a seismic event the pony wall could theoretically walk off of the strip footing. Note that the I-joists above are fastened to the pony wall with glue and (2) 10d nail at the top plate, maybe this is enough?

A confused student is a good student.
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, PE

http://www.medeek.com

 

[jayrod12]

At a minimum I would expect to see ramset concrete nails down into the footing.

 

[medeek]

The other method typically used is 4x4 or 4x6 PT posts supporting a 4x8 floor beam which then supports the joists. In this case either a LMA4Z or MA4 is used to connect to the posts to the strip footing.

A confused student is a good student.
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, PE

http://www.medeek.com

 

[medeek]

What size and spacing of ramset concrete nails would be advisable for this application? I'm not familiar with this product. I'm on their website reading the literature.

A confused student is a good student.
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, PE

http://www.medeek.com

 

[jayrod12]

1516SD @ 16" o/c, our double nails @ 32" would be a typical spec for me. Just enough that someone couldn't kick out the wall from the footing (or like you said, that the seismic action doesn't walk the wall off of the footing).

 

[msquared48]

I thought that the IRC called out or detailed a minimum of 1/2" diameter AB @ 6'-0" OC?

How would Ramset be OK in a seismic region?

I can see using ramset for formwork and non-structural wall anchorage, but not for permanent installations.

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)

 

[jayrod12]

I would stand corrected then. I was more indicating that I'd never let them get away with nothing.

 

[medeek]

The designer says they have done it without any callout and have never been hassled for it. There must be something I'm missing here. It doesn't seem right that some sort of attachment is not prescribed.

A confused student is a good student.
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, PE

http://www.medeek.com

 

[aeoliantexan]

In the Midwest, they used to set the shoe of the walls on the basement block walls with no anchors. After a big tornado passed through Omaha in the 70s, I saw a house that had been picked up, rotated 30 degrees, and set back down on the basement. Other houses were just thrown into the back yard, of course. The code now requires anchor bolts.

This is a little different from what you describe, but does illustrate that we don't always know what is necessary until Mother Nature shows us.