Building foundations made of concrete blocks are essential because they offer the strength and stability needed to support structures. Because they are simple to assemble and long-lasting, these blocks are frequently utilized in a variety of construction projects.
For foundations, a variety of concrete block types are available, each with special qualities that meet various building requirements. By being aware of these varieties, builders can select the ideal building blocks for a given project, guaranteeing the foundation’s longevity and best performance.
The standard concrete block is a popular variety that is renowned for its dependability and cost-effectiveness. These blocks are usually utilized in simple foundation applications where affordability and strength are critical factors.
In cases where improved insulation is needed, insulated concrete blocks are the better option. Because of the integrated insulation in these blocks, the foundation’s thermal performance and energy efficiency are enhanced, which is advantageous in colder climates.
The lightweight concrete block is another specialized variety that is highly valued for its decreased weight without sacrificing strength. These blocks are perfect for projects where maneuverability and ease of construction are crucial considerations because they are simpler to handle and transport.
The durability and resistance to moisture seepage of concrete blocks for foundations are essential for preserving the structural integrity of the building over time. For any building project to have a solid and long-lasting foundation, these blocks must be installed and chosen carefully.
- Scope of application
- Pros and cons of the material
- Types, sizes and GOST requirements
- Full-bodied
- Hollow
- When the material is not suitable for the foundation of a house?
- Selection criteria
- Types and methods of installation
- Turnkey block base cost
- Video on the topic
- Foundation from blocks
- PREFABRICATED FOUNDATION / HOW TO CORRECTLY ASSEMBLE FBS
- Foundation from blocks (permanent formwork)
- foundation in one minute according to the Brazilian system
- Concrete foundation blocks of different sizes somewhere around 60 tons
- How to properly install FBS blocks on mortar
Scope of application
Standardized building components known as foundation concrete blocks are used to create plinths and basement walls for a variety of buildings. They are created by filling a mold with a concrete solution, vibrocompressing it, and then adding crushed stone or gravel as filler.
Reinforcement is laid prior to pouring, and during the pouring stage, embedded parts can be installed in the mold to lift the blocks or connect them into a single structure.
The blocks are taken out of the mold, dried, and then watered to keep them from cracking. They are then stored in a warehouse for three to four weeks to strengthen them before they can be used for the intended purpose.
The following projects are among the many uses for foundation blocks:
- Quickly erected strip and columnar foundations of buildings.
- Temporary fences, walls, fences.
- Temporary buildings: field fortifications, dismantled obstacles on communication routes.
- Bridge crossings, overpasses, ramps.
- Walls of production workshops, industrial buildings, garages, warehouse autoboxes, etc..
Foundation blocks are useful when building a wall out of bricks is costly, time-consuming, and unpredictable. They can be used to construct a fence, utility room, or extension, which will be much stronger and more stable and, if needed, allow you to take down the building. The latter is completed at the same speed as building.
Pros and cons of the material
These construction components have the following indisputable benefits:
- Quick foundation construction without pouring, soaking, or downtime, regardless of weather and climatic conditions.
- Large and standard dimensions, allowing installation with only one lifting equipment.
- Factory production with strict laboratory control: the quality of the foundation does not depend on chance and is the same even when using material from different batches.
- Saving money on professional and labor-intensive monolithic work.
- Possibility of custom-made blocks from different grades of concrete and with the necessary indicators of strength, frost resistance, moisture resistance, thermal conductivity.
- Durability: a properly laid block foundation can last up to 100 years.
- Versatility: buildings of various purposes and functionalities are constructed from the foundation block.
- Pre-known characteristics, incl.. strength, making the design very accurate, including the calculation of volumes of building materials.
- Wide tolerance for use on acidic soils and areas with frosty climates.
Among the drawbacks of prefabricated foundations are
- The need to involve heavy lifting equipment. But since a block foundation for a private house can be installed in one shift, this is not so significant. Concrete pouring is also not always performed by a compact concrete mixer, and takes more time.
- Restrictions on the size (area) of the foundation. Since block foundations are not monolithic, with seismic movements and shrinkage, each block can behave in its own way. Considering this, a block foundation can only be built based on professional engineering calculations.
Some people also point out that block foundations must be completely waterproofed, but pile and monolithic foundations also require this, so this disadvantage shouldn’t be considered.
Types, sizes and GOST requirements
There are two types of concrete foundation blocks that are available:
- Full-bodied or FBS, where the letter "C" stands for "solid". They have the greatest mass and strength, therefore they are used for their intended purpose – the construction of foundations and basement walls.
- Hollow – FBP. They have vertically oriented voids that reduce overall strength. However, they are also used for the construction of foundations as permanent formwork: the blocks are arranged in a row, reinforcement is laid in their voids and filled with concrete. It is also advantageous to construct walls from them by laying thermal insulation or utilities in the voids.
It is imperative to separately discuss the solid blocks that were utilized in the production of the foundation’s base elements. They are placed on the bottom of the trench, with the walls of the base made of building blocks resting on top of them. They have a cross-section that resembles a trapezoid in diameter. This sole’s job is to disperse the structure’s weight evenly across the support area.
Full-bodied
The primary indicator that determines the thermal properties and strength of block products is their width. It comes in four standard sizes, 30, 40, 50, and 60 cm, according to GOST.
The block’s length dictates the range of applications; the longer the block, the more steadily the foundation performs on challenging soils. When building the foundation’s upper projection, this indication is also taken into consideration. The length of typical blocks is 58, 78, 88, 118, and 238 cm.
The foundation’s design height can be reached more quickly the higher the block. The height options are limited to two: 28 and 58 cm.
This little variation can be explained by the fact that the product has to fit a specific mold and cannot be made any taller because doing so would increase the likelihood of the basement wall collapsing.
The mass of FBS varies between 240 and 1960 kg and has roughly a dozen values, depending on its dimensions, filler, and concrete grade.
The blocks used for columnar foundations are smaller, measuring 20 by 20 by 40 centimeters and weighing only 32 kg.
Hollow
There is a restricted selection of hollow blocks available. As per GOST, their attributes consist of the following:
- The length is in all cases 238 cm.
- The width has three options: 40, 50 and 60 cm.
- Height is always 58 cm.
- The weight of the FBP is in the range from 1050 to 1400 kg.
The standard permits variations in length, width (height), and connecting cutouts of 13, 8, and 5 mm, respectively.
When the material is not suitable for the foundation of a house?
Clayey soils, or any other type of mobile soil, are not suitable for block foundations. On a site with slopes, a foundation should not be built. The most precise computation is needed on weakened soils because, because of the massiveness of the blocks, T.To. can shrink considerably (the result also depends on the total mass of the building).
The remaining computations, which are not as important, must also be completed quickly; blocks, for example, are a very solid foundation.
Selection criteria
When selecting a material, you must start with the construction conditions, which include the building’s overall design mass, the climate zone, the hydrological condition, the kind of soil, and the building’s area to floor ratio.
It is useless to try to figure out the necessary qualities on your own; instead, if you lack professional knowledge, it is best to speak with an expert or follow the design documentation. However, quality makes everything easier, and in this case, you can make enough recommendations:
- Pay attention to the manufacturer. Good material should be produced at a reinforced concrete plant, undergo laboratory tests and be accompanied by a certificate.
- Check the accuracy of the geometry. A regular tape measure can be used to check deviations from standard dimensions, as well as identify the fact of using old forms (formwork). To do this, compare the lower and upper parts of the block – a trapezoidal shape is undesirable.
- If possible, choose long blocks – the fewer joints, the more stable the foundation will be and the fewer groundwater leaks. Use small blocks only where their installation is justified by geometry.
- The price should be the average market price – study the offers, and then make a choice. Large blocks are more expensive, but they replace several small ones of the same volume.
Types and methods of installation
The traditional block foundation is a prefabricated strip that works well in sandy and stony soils. The belt can also be set up on shaky ground as long as it is placed on a concrete foundation. Blocks are also used to construct high-rise building foundations when proper calculations are made.
This plan can be used to construct a prefabricated strip using your hands:
- An engineering calculation is being performed – it is better to entrust this task to a specialist.
- Using a cord and pegs, markings are made.
- A trench is dug according to the markings, and on loose soil it should be wider and deeper than the calculated dimensions.
- A cushion of gravel (crushed stone), sand is placed on the bottom of the trench, which is rammed and checked for level. On weak soils, a concrete base (FP) is placed on top of the cushion, together with the blocks, forming a structure in the profile resembling an inverted letter "T".
- The first row of blocks is laid in the trench according to the diagram. The blocks must be adjusted precisely, to level, into the lock. Where necessary, the blocks are cut using diamond cutting.
- After this, the second row of blocks is installed on cement mortar according to the principle of brickwork, and then the subsequent rows.
- After the construction of the foundation, coating waterproofing and backfilling are carried out.
Go here to learn more about building a foundation out of FBS blocks.
Block products were first utilized for columnar foundations in light-framed buildings (baths, gazebos, summer kitchens, utility rooms, etc.) with the development of frame construction.
This option can only be used in ideal soil and topographic conditions because it lacks the characteristics of a pile foundation.
When installing a columnar foundation, the general steps are as follows:
- First of all, engineering surveys and design are carried out.
- The site is marked according to the building configuration.
- At the locations of the support pillars, holes are dug below the freezing point of the soil. Most often, it is worth making a pit or trench instead, especially if communications have to be laid.
- A sand cushion is poured at the bottom of the pit (except when working on sandy soil) and compacted until a 20-centimeter layer is formed. This is followed by backfilling of crushed stone with compaction up to 40 cm.
- A concrete base is poured on top of the crushed stone, forming a slab, the area of which should be greater than the area of the supporting pillars. To connect the pillars to the base, reinforcement rods are produced from it.
- Next, the first layer of blocks is installed on the sole, then the next one, with bandaging of each row, control of the level and horizontal lines of the edges.
- Next is waterproofing the support pillars, installing a grillage, laying drainage on top of the cushion and backfilling.
Turnkey block base cost
Discussing the cost per linear meter of a strip or column foundation is absurd. The design depth of the trench, the complexity of the geophysical situation, the weight of the blocks, the requirement to lay utilities, the waterproofing technique, and other factors all influence the scope of work.
Instead of calculating prices per linear meter, the price is determined by factoring in labor, other resources, and the cost of the material used.
The cost per piece varies according to the kind and size of blocks. For instance, an FBP block measuring 2,380 mm in length, 600 mm in width, and 580 mm in height costs $4,00,000, while an FBS block with the same measurements but a 500 mm width costs $3,700.
Pricing table for FBS blocks:
Concrete blocks are widely used in construction and are very versatile, especially when used for building foundations. They are perfect for supporting structures and efficiently distributing weight because of their strength and durability.
Concrete blocks come in a variety of varieties, each with special qualities that make them appropriate for various foundation requirements. Depending on the needs of the project, the best type of block to use can range from solid ones that offer strong support to hollow ones that offer flexibility in design and insulation qualities.
Think about things like load-bearing capacity, moisture resistance, and thermal insulation when choosing concrete blocks for a foundation. To improve their longevity and performance, these blocks can be strengthened with steel rods or combined with other materials like mortar and waterproofing compounds.
In conclusion, because of their strength, adaptability, and variety of available types, concrete blocks are a dependable option for building foundations. A strong and long-lasting foundation for any construction project is ensured by knowing their applications and characteristics, whether for residential or commercial buildings.
This conclusion summarizes the key points of your article in a clear and accessible manner.
This article explores the types, uses, and essential features of concrete blocks that are utilized in foundation building. Concrete blocks are adaptable parts that are necessary to construct sturdy foundations for a range of construction projects. We discuss their function in maintaining structural integrity, their various varieties—such as standard and interlocking blocks—and their advantages—such as their affordability and simplicity of installation. Knowing these factors enables both homeowners and builders to use concrete blocks wisely and guarantee sturdy, long-lasting building foundations.