CMU Block Pier height restrictions

JAM-Engineer · Dec 9, 2020

I have a house mover who wants an Engineer CMU letter for the City Inspector that approves the use of " Hollow" CMU piers stacked 6 blocks high.[URL unfurl="true"]https://res.cloudinary.com/engineering-com/image/upload/v1607550098/tips/CMU_Foundation_Pier_Template_jdoqgv.pdf[/url]

Where in the Building codes can I find the height restrictions for hollow CMU block piers used to block up a house ?

phamENG · Dec 9, 2020

Since it's violating the IRC, he wants your stamp, so you have to go to ACI 530. You'll have to run calcs on strength as a column and compare it to the actual load coming down from the house. Any quick and easy table is going to tell you it doesn't work (if it were otherwise, he'd just give the City that table).

Then there's the issue of the "foundation." What's shown in your sketch violates ACI 318 rules for plain concrete foundations.

phamENG · Dec 9, 2020

Oh - and Texas + house mover makes me ask - is this a home elevation to get it above the Design Flood Elevation? A FEMA project, perhaps? If so, a hollow pier will violate FEMA's flood damage resistant materials requirements.

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CMU Block Pier height restrictions

JAM-Engineer

Civil/Environmental

phamENG

Structural

phamENG

Structural

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