FOUNDATION CRACKS & DAMAGE GUIDE
FOUNDATION INSPECTION METHODS
SITE FACTORS AFFECTING FOUNDATIONS
FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION TYPES
FAILURES by FOUNDATION TYPE & MATERIAL
FOUNDATION DEFECTS OF OMISSION
FOUNDATION CRACK EVALUATION
CRACK MONITORING Methods
DIAGONAL FOUNDATION CRACKS
HORIZONTAL FOUNDATION CRACKS
SHRINKAGE vs EXPANSION vs SETTLEMENT
Sinkholes & Building Damage
Thermal Expansion Cracking of Brick
VERTICAL FOUNDATION CRACKS Thermal Expansion Cracking of Brick
SLAB CRACK EVALUATION
FAILURES by FOUNDATION MOVEMENT TYPE
FOUNDATION BULGE or LEAN MEASUREMENTS
FOUNDATION MOVEMENT ACTIVE vs. STATIC
FOUNDATION DAMAGE SEVERITY
FOUNDATION DAMAGE REPORTS
FOUNDATION REPAIR METHODS
Crack Repair Methods
Shrinkage Crack Repairs
How to Seal Cracks in Concrete
Polyurethane Foam Injection
Vertical Movement Repairs
Bulged foundation Repairs
Pilasters for Repair of Bulge, Cracks
Reinforcing Steel I-Beams for Wall Bulge
Foundation Anchors for Foundation Movement
Reinforcing Sister Walls for Foundations
Cables for Repair of Foundations
Reconstruction of Bulged Cracked Foundations
Horizontal Movement Repairs
ADDITIONAL READING
FOUNDATION INSPECTION STANDARDS
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Repair Methods for Bulged or Cracked Foundation Walls
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This website discusses How to Repair Bulged, Cracked Building Foundations using pilasters, steel reinforcement, foundation anchors, sister walls, or wall reconstruction The photo above shows a foundation wall reconstruction in process for a poured concrete foundation wall that settled and cracked at the time of construction.
At this website we explain how it is sometimes possible to be confident about the cause of and repair for foundation damage, and we describe various methods used to repair cracked or bulged, bowed or in some cases leaning or tipped foundation walls. The photograph at the top of this page shows a concrete block wall which has bulged and is in danger of collapse due to earth pressure from outside.
© Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.
A Guide to Repair Methods for Bulged Foundation Walls
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The motive for a decision to reinforce a building foundation rather than rebuild it can be easily understood by noticing the difference in cost between bolting a few vertical steel beams to a building or building a pilaster and the cost to add temporary support to the floors above, remove an existing foundation, and rebuild a new one in its place. However the decision to support or reinforce a foundation wall versus rebuilding it is often made by the wall itself. If the amount of bulge or bow is sufficiently severe the wall needs to be rebuilt. If the underlying source of wall damage cannot be reliably addressed without excavating outside to add drainage and perhaps water proofing, there is additional motivation to perform a more costly repair. The foundation bulge or lean repair methods listed below are roughly in order of their most common appearance in residential buildings. The sketch shown here describes application of a steel I-beam against a masonry block wall for reinforcement. More details are given below. |
Guide to Using Pilasters for Repair of Foundation Wall Bulge, Cracks, Movement
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Pilasters may be constructed against the existing foundation wall(s) to add stability and resist further movement. A pilaster is a masonry column or short wall which is constructed butting against the original wall at right angles. In this photo the masonry block pilaster is itself damaged and spalling. Additional repairs and steps to direct water away from this foundation wall are still needed.
The Carson Dunlop sketch at above right shows how a pilaster may appear in a building for a different reason than an attempt to stiffen a bulging foundation wall. In this case the pilaster is supporting a beam placed as a girder to support the floor that will be constructed above. So don't assume just because you see a pilaster that it was built to address a foundation damage problem.
Guide to Using Reinforcing Steel I-Beams for Repair of Foundation Wall Bulge, Cracks, Movement
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Steel I-beams or U-channel beams may be placed against the bulged wall, anchored at their bottom to the floor slab and at their top to building floor framing. The beam is placed with its side against the most-inward-protruding portion of the wall.
When you click on the photo to enlarge it you'll see how the installer used a simple wood cross-bridge between the joists of the floor above to hold the top of the "I" beam in place against the foundation wall.
Often the bottom of the vertical I-beam is secured by breaking a hole into the concrete floor slab where the bottom of the I-beam is cemented in place.
Example of Using Foundation Anchors for Repair of Foundation Wall Bulge, Cracks, Movement
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Special products are available which employ an expanding soil anchor at the outside end of the horizontal pin. In this photograph we show a rectangular steel plate and just the end of a threaded steel rod which is all that one can see of the foundation anchor which had been driven through the foundation wall and into the surrounding soil. |
Guide to Using Interior or Exterior Reinforcing Sister Walls for Repair of Foundation Wall Bulge, Cracks, Movement
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An inside or outside foundation-reinforcing wall may be constructed against the bulged foundation wall. Unless the outside cause of bulging (such as water or frost) is also corrected, we are doubtful about the durability of this approach. In this photograph there had been a history of water entry and foundation wall cracks and movement at the front of this office building built with a portion of its foundation wall sitting on sloped bedrock. The contractor built a reinforced concrete block against the damaged foundation wall, an effort which was largely successful at reducing most, but not all of the water entry (and mold) in the building. Simple measures outside to properly handle roof runoff by directing it against the foundation, and normal gutter maintenance, would help considerably in drying out this area. The sketch describes application of a reinforced concrete wall on the exterior of a building foundation. |
Using Cables for Repair of Foundation Wall Bulge, Cracks, Movement
Steel tension cables + stars (reinforcing plates) are sometimes used to anchor the wall to the surrounding soil and resist further movement but more normally this approach is used to strengthen and cross-tie above-ground walls in masonry buildings. It's common to see these outside reinforcing plates on pre-1900 multi-story brick buildings which no longer rely just on floor framing to tie opposing masonry walls together.
Reconstruction as a Repair of Foundation Wall Bulge, Cracks, Movement
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excavation and reconstruction of a near-failing or failed foundation wall may possibly include in the new wall, additional reinforcement over the original design and with additional foundation and site drainage. In the photo shown here the rear and a portion of the rear right masonry block foundation walls had to be rebuilt after the foundation began to collapse during a period of heavy rain. |
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- Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.
Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.
FOUNDATION CRACKS & DAMAGE GUIDE
FOUNDATION INSPECTION METHODS
SITE FACTORS AFFECTING FOUNDATIONS
FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION TYPES
FAILURES by FOUNDATION TYPE & MATERIAL
FOUNDATION DEFECTS OF OMISSION
FOUNDATION CRACK EVALUATION
CRACK MONITORING Methods
DIAGONAL FOUNDATION CRACKS
HORIZONTAL FOUNDATION CRACKS
SHRINKAGE vs EXPANSION vs SETTLEMENT
Sinkholes & Building Damage
Thermal Expansion Cracking of Brick
VERTICAL FOUNDATION CRACKS Thermal Expansion Cracking of Brick
SLAB CRACK EVALUATION
FAILURES by FOUNDATION MOVEMENT TYPE
FOUNDATION BULGE or LEAN MEASUREMENTS
FOUNDATION MOVEMENT ACTIVE vs. STATIC
FOUNDATION DAMAGE SEVERITY
FOUNDATION DAMAGE REPORTS
FOUNDATION REPAIR METHODS
Crack Repair Methods
Shrinkage Crack Repairs
How to Seal Cracks in Concrete
Polyurethane Foam Injection
Vertical Movement Repairs
Bulged foundation Repairs
Pilasters for Repair of Bulge, Cracks
Reinforcing Steel I-Beams for Wall Bulge
Foundation Anchors for Foundation Movement
Reinforcing Sister Walls for Foundations
Cables for Repair of Foundations
Reconstruction of Bulged Cracked Foundations
Horizontal Movement Repairs
ADDITIONAL READING
FOUNDATION INSPECTION STANDARDS
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Authority
Opinions herein are the responsibility of the author. Most of this material has been subject to ongoing peer review but is without any professional engineering analysis. Home inspections may include the discovery of defects involving life, safety, and significant costs. Home inspectors who are not both qualified and certain of the authoritative basis of their conclusions should obtain their own expert advice from qualified experts.
This work is also based on the author's construction & inspection experience, training, research, and survey of material from ASHI, and from N. Becker, R. Burgess, J. Bower, D. Breyer, A. Carson, J. Cox, A. Daniel, M. Lennon, R. Peterson, J. Prendergast, W. Ransom, D. Rathburn, E. Rawlins, E. Seaquist, and D. Wickersheimer. Some useful citations are at the end of this paper.
- "Concrete Slab Finishes and the Use of the F-number System", Matthew Stuart, P.E., S.E., F.ASCE, online course at www.pdhonline.org/courses/s130/s130.htm
- Sal Alfano - Editor, Journal of Light Construction*
- Thanks to Alan Carson, Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, for technical critique and some of the foundation inspection photographs cited in these articles.
- Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, for permission to use illustrations from their publication, The Illustrated Home which illustrates construction details and building components. Carson Dunlop provides home inspection education, publications, report writing materials, and home inspection services. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
- A.B. Chance foundation repair systems, helical piers, foundation repairs www.abchance.com
- Dwyer of Florida, supplier of Helical Piles, foundation repair, and concrete restoration in Florida, exclusive dealer for Magnum piering. This company provides helical piles, foundation settlement repair, concrete restoration, shotcrete, pressure grouting, and slabjacking for residential and commercial buildings. 1-866-900-PIER www.dwyerflorida.com
- Terry Carson - ASHI
- Mark Cramer - ASHI
- JD Grewell, ASHI
- Duncan Hannay - ASHI, P.E. *
- Bob Klewitz, M.S.C.E., P.E. - ASHI
- Ken Kruger, P.E., AIA - ASHI
- Aaron Kuertz aaronk@appliedtechnologies.com, with Applied Technologies regarding polyurethane foam sealant as other foundation crack repair product - 05/30/2007
- Bob Peterson, Magnum Piering - 800-771-7437 - FL*
- Arlene Puentes, ASHI, October Home Inspections - (845) 216-7833 - Kingston NY
- Greg Robi, Magnum Piering - 800-822-7437 - National*
- Dave Rathbun, P.E. - Geotech Engineering - 904-622-2424 FL*
- Ed Seaquist, P.E., SIE Assoc. - 301-269-1450 - National
- Dave Wickersheimer, P.E. R.A. - IL*
- *These reviewers have not returned comment 6/95
NOTE: Journal of Light Construction articles are available on CD ROM from the Journal of Light Construction, www.bginet.com, 802-434-4747
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
- Our recommended books about building design, inspection, and repair, and about indoor environment testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
- Diagnosing & Repairing House Structure Problems, Edgar O. Seaquist, McGraw Hill, 1980 ISBN 0-07-056013-7 (obsolete, incomplete, missing most diagnosis steps, but very good reading; out of print but reprints available from some inspection tool suppliers)
- Design of Wood Structures, Donald E. Breyer, McGraw Hill, 1988 ISBN 0-07-007675-8
- Building Failures, Diagnosis & Avoidance, 2d Ed., W.H. Ransom, E.& F. Spon, New York, 1987 ISBN 0-419-14270-3
- Guide to Domestic Building Surveys, Jack Bower, Butterworth Architecture, London, 1988, ISBN 0-408-50000 X
- ASHI Training Manual - not recommended: incomplete, inaccurate, overpriced--DF
- The Home Reference Book and other Manuals from Carson Dunlop, Home Pro, T.I.E., Inspection Training Associates (Home Inspection training/report firms)
- "Avoiding Foundation Failures," Robert Marshall, Journal of Light Construction, July, 1996 (Highly recommend this article-DF)
- "A Foundation for Unstable Soils," Harris Hyman, P.E., Journal of Light Construction, May 1995
- "Backfilling Basics," Buck Bartley, Journal of Light Construction, October 1994
- "Inspecting Block Foundations," Donald V. Cohen, P.E., ASHI Reporter, December 1998. This article in turn cites the Fine Homebuilding article noted below.
- "When Block Foundations go Bad," Fine Homebuilding, June/July 1998
- inspect-ny.com - The Free Home Inspection & Construction Diagnosis Public Information Website
- ...
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More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs
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