Hi all,

I'm working on a project in which the client is proposing to excavate under a portion of the outside of an existing 8" reinforced slab structure with an edge thickened to 18" for 42" and tapered back into the slab at about 45 degrees. Piles are included at 20' O/C to support building columns. The drawing notes construction, expansion, and sawcut joints. The expansion joints are detailed with fiber board and sealer through with reinforcing steel continuous. Construction joints are not detailed, but I assume they're the same as expansion joints without fiber board/sealant and with a shear key. Sawcut joints are not detailed, but in the 8" slab I'd assume dowels mid slab and a cut to 2" and discontinuous top reinforcing steel (and maybe bottom??). Dowels at sawcut joints are noted.

What I'm struggling with is sawcut joints parallel to the thickened edge within the thickened edge. I've attached an image showing the detail and the sawcut is shown as a dashed line through the whole thickened edge. I'm presuming this would look like a 2" or so saw cut with discontinuous top bars and dowels roughly 4" under the top of the thickened edge while mid and bottom layers are continuous. I would think it's crazy to sawcut through as the line is shown. Can I get "reinforcement" or alternative thoughts on my assumptions.

Thanks in advance for any input.

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