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concrete pier for garage foundation wall support

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Mr_Yan

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So @ErnieCopp we were conversing a week ago about my concrete pier in the "what did you do today" thread

From the description you give of the sloping topography, there may be a problem that the entire hill side slope is moving North. I suggest you contact the City or County Engineering department and ask them if they are aware of any shifting in that area. You did not say how far it was to the end of the block, but if it is 500 feet and your house is 15 feet tall, that is 3' rise per 100' . With the different soil types you mention, the clay subsoil could be lubricated by water, and the topsoil could be slipping down hill, causing your problem. If that is the case, you have a much larger problem, and very difficult to solve.

Anyway I hope to do the second pier tomorrow. Really I should have posted this days ago but didn't have time.

I plan on putting this one about 2.5 to 3 feet from the corner of the garage where the wall has heaved out the most. This is also at the edge of the patio I want to finish off. I was thinking about pouring a wall from the garage wall to the existing edge of the patio (60" long) and about 4" to 6" wide along the top. Next to the garage it will slope up to meet the full 12" height of the heaved garage wall. I hope only to have to dig down about 30 to 36 inches this time. That 48" deep hole sucked.

In the near future I would like to cast another concrete planter to wrap the corner of the garage. I think incorporating the pier into the planter could work. At least to hide the pier.

Several of the fence post sites I have read speak to doing a concrete base where the sides slope inward as it approaches ground level forming a cone or wedge shape. The thinking here is as the ground freezes and expands (from the surface down) it forces the concrete down rather than working it up and out.

Yes the hill has worked down since the homes were built around here. But the homes were built between 1918 and 1930. I want something to hold the wall in place long enough to secure the garage for my use over the next 1 to 4 years. After that it will be the next guys problem. All the evidence I see around here (homes, trees, fences, garages and the paved alley) points to a slow move to the north but not perceptible in the 7 years I've been here.

Naturally the forecast is calling for T-storms tonight and a high of 87 tomorrow with high humidity.

Thanks
 
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ErnieCopp

Guest
Yan,
When you are visualizing how to do it, just think of the effect snowshoes have on how much resitance from sinking in the snow. What we call a spread footing is simply spreading the load over a wider area. All of your braces are only going to provide as much resistance as what ever they are pushing againsnst, except for a very small amount of force it will take to slide that concrete across the ground..

If the garage is not wracking or coming apart, and the movement is real slow, perhaps just doing some cosmetic concealment of the bulging foundation when you build your patio will be sufficient. People adjust to settlement of floors and such that live in old houses, so that might be your most practical solution.

From what you have said about the topsoil and clay subsoil, chances of you being able to stop that creep are pretty small, even with a lot of hard work.

Good luck,
Ernie
 
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