"Indoor" Foundation

[ToadJones]

I need to design a foundation for a piece of equipment that is indoors. The foundation will come very near the perimeter stem wall in areas.
I am not certain as to whether or not I am required to take the foundation down below the frost line in this case.
Also,should the plant close down during cold months there is the possibility that that indoor temperature could fall below freezing.

Is there other ways I should be looking at to mitigate the chances of frost heave?

 

[SteelPE]

Usually our details show insulation on the inside of the stem wall. This prevents the cold from entering the building (at least that is what I am told). I would be more worried about overlapping stresses than I would about the cold (if insulation was installed).

With regards to the plant closing down. If it is a real possibility then you may have a point. However, I have designed many buildings/warehouses and I have never worried frost heave inside of a space that was designed to be heated (kept above freezing).

Actually I drive by a building that I designed many years ago on a regular basis. The building sat vacant for a few years before being occupied by a phone service provider. When they moved in they modified the building and installed OH doors to allow their trucks to enter the building (like a big garage). The doors are always open. Those footings were not installed below frost depth. Nobody has ever called..... and if they did I would tell them where to go.

 

[ToadJones]

Well, I guess the one saving grace there is some soils are not really susceptible to frost.
Are there base materials I could use to mitigate heave?

 

[SteelPE]

I know we have specified "no frost susceptible" fill before (what ever that is). I have been told that it is free draining material that doesn't hold water. Eliminate water and you will eliminate frost....... Your roof should do most of the work for you.

 

[ToadJones]

pretty obvious.... good point.

 

[msquared48]

Think "Capillary Break"...

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

http://mmcengineering.tripod.com

 

[Ron]

As Mike noted...capillary break. Use a material with a fineness modulus greater than 3.