×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Contact US

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!

*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

Interior Footing Embedment

Interior Footing Embedment

Interior Footing Embedment

(OP)
Hello,

I have a question regarding minimum embedment for interior footings. Per IBC 1809.4 it states you need minimum 12" undisturbed for all footings. In the field it seems as though there are frequent cases where interior pad footings bear directly on the soil with minimal embedment. Anyone know a code reference for interior footings either strip or pad footings for residential applications? I have been unable to find anything with regards to this, so I am guessing it is min 12" per 1809.4? Thanks for any input.

SGS

RE: Interior Footing Embedment

IRC Section R403.1.4 has almost the same language.

RE: Interior Footing Embedment

If by embedment, you mean footing thickness, then IRC403.1.1 states 6" thickness minimum. Chapter 7 of ACI 332-10 also covers residential applications for concrete footings and states similar requirements.

RE: Interior Footing Embedment

and if you're talking about being keyed into the native soil then I don't know of a minimum embedment. If you are requiring the pad to take lateral load then there's more issues. Especially in residential.

RE: Interior Footing Embedment

It is more of the Geotech's call because you can get a bearing failure if the surrounding soil can heave the slab upward.

12" would be absolute minimum. I would not ever allow 6" thickness in any residential ftg, 12" is minimum for pad ftgs, and 8" is min for wall ftgs.

Here in Phoenix, despite no frost, it is actually 18" minimum embedment req'd

RE: Interior Footing Embedment

ps

I meant 8" thick wall ftg with 4" ext grade cover, but here in PHX we need that wall ftg to be embedded at least 18" BELOW top of ext grade.

RE: Interior Footing Embedment

Maybe I read the question wrong, but I believe he was asking about interior footing/pads, therefore zero frost concerns. you can place the footing directly below the main floor/basement slab and it shouldn't matter.

RE: Interior Footing Embedment

If you disregard frost, then you need at least 12" embedment (read bearing depth) anyway.

Or 18" here in PHX.

RE: Interior Footing Embedment

I come from an area where basements, or at least crawlspaces are the norm because we already have to go to at least 6 feet for frost on the exterior anyway so I've never been concerned about interior pads.

RE: Interior Footing Embedment

I high seismic areas such as where I am, we are concerned with the interior footings literally walking laterally under seismic action, so we always embed the footings at least 7" to prevent lateral movement and loss of support of the column/beam structure above. 12" would be good.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

RE: Interior Footing Embedment

Here we drop exterior footings 42" for frost, and commonly place the top of interior footings directly below the slab on grade and provide a diamond control pattern at the column itself. Depth to bottom (bearing) of the footing depends on the footing thickness, but won't ever be less than 12".

Licensed Structural Engineer and Licensed Professional Engineer (Illinois)

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! Already a Member? Login


Resources

Low-Volume Rapid Injection Molding With 3D Printed Molds
Learn methods and guidelines for using stereolithography (SLA) 3D printed molds in the injection molding process to lower costs and lead time. Discover how this hybrid manufacturing process enables on-demand mold fabrication to quickly produce small batches of thermoplastic parts. Download Now
Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM)
Examine how the principles of DfAM upend many of the long-standing rules around manufacturability - allowing engineers and designers to place a part’s function at the center of their design considerations. Download Now
Taking Control of Engineering Documents
This ebook covers tips for creating and managing workflows, security best practices and protection of intellectual property, Cloud vs. on-premise software solutions, CAD file management, compliance, and more. Download Now

Close Box

Join Eng-Tips® Today!

Join your peers on the Internet's largest technical engineering professional community.
It's easy to join and it's free.

Here's Why Members Love Eng-Tips Forums:

Register now while it's still free!

Already a member? Close this window and log in.

Join Us             Close