Methods for strengthening strip foundations

The foundation is essential when creating or remodeling a structure. Strip foundations, sometimes referred to as continuous foundations, are frequently employed to equally distribute a building’s weight onto the subsurface. To maintain the stability and longevity of the entire structure, these foundations might need to be strengthened over time.

There are numerous efficient ways to strengthen strip foundations. Underpinning is a popular strategy that entails expanding the foundation’s breadth or depth in order to boost its bearing capacity. This technique is frequently applied when the building’s additional loads, soil subsidence, or altered soil conditions render the original foundation insufficient.

Reinforcement bars, or rebar, are another technique that involves adding bars to the foundation. By strengthening the foundation’s tensile strength, this method lowers the possibility of it failing or cracking under severe loads or unfavorable circumstances. Usually composed of steel, reinforcement bars are positioned carefully inside the concrete to give structural support.

Moreover, pre-existing strip foundations can be strengthened and stabilized with chemical grouting. In order to increase the soil’s ability to support weight, specific grout materials are injected into the foundation’s subsurface. Chemical grouting reduces the chance of settlement and guarantees consistent support throughout the foundation, making it especially helpful in locations with erratic or unstable soil conditions.

To sum up, strip foundation strengthening is critical to preserving buildings’ long-term structural integrity and safety. Building professionals and homeowners can effectively increase the stability and durability of their structures, ensuring they withstand the test of time and environmental factors, by utilizing techniques like chemical grouting, underpinning, and reinforcement with rebar.

Reinforced Concrete Strips	Adding steel bars within the concrete increases strength and durability, ideal for heavy structures or unstable soils.
Grouting	Injecting grout under the foundation improves stability, useful for settling or shifting foundations.

Reasons for the destruction of strip foundations

Destructive influences are constantly present at the strip foundation.

Among them are:

• Frost heaving of soil.
• Soil subsidence.
• Construction or excavation work taking place nearby.
• Seasonal ground movements.
• Floods, changes in groundwater levels.
• Presence of slope.

Negative outcomes can also be brought on by:

• Low quality building materials.
• Failure to comply with technological requirements during construction.
• Change in the weight of the building caused by the construction of an additional floor or other reasons.
• Violations of house rules.

The foundation may experience any one of the aforementioned effects separately or in combination, which would make operations very challenging.

Concrete gradually loses strength as a result of additional stress, which speeds up damaging processes multiple times. It’s possible that strengthening the strip foundation will solve the issue.

When is reinforcement required and what is it??

Several circumstances call for the foundation to be strengthened:

• When it is planned to build an additional floor, extension, or other change in the size of the house.
• When cracks appear on the walls or foundation strip.
• If the waterproofing of the tape is broken, causing concrete to crumble.
• Mechanical damage to the tape.
• Rising groundwater level destroying the tape.
• Aggressive environmental influences.

Each of these situations calls for quick action. By adding more components, enlarging the strip’s cross-section, injecting particular materials, or taking other actions, reinforcement can raise the strip base’s load-bearing capacity.

The state of the tape, the reasons behind the issue, and the scope of the required intervention all play a role in the method selection. In any event, a comprehensive examination of the structure and expert decision-making are required prior to beginning any work.

Independent action in these situations is strictly prohibited since it may have the exact opposite effect of what was anticipated.

In "Methods for strengthening strip foundations," we examine doable strategies to improve the longevity and steadiness of these vital structural elements. We explore doable methods that builders and homeowners can use to strengthen already-existing strip foundations and deal with typical problems like settling or structural strain. We offer detailed instructions on how to evaluate foundation issues and select the best strengthening strategy, from installing more concrete piers to using underpinning techniques. This article provides practical guidance to make sure your foundations stay solid and safe for many years to come, whether you’re planning preventive measures or addressing current problems.

Diagnostics of the problem

A series of procedures known as diagnostics are used to gather comprehensive data regarding the state of the supporting structure and the existence of any cracks, deformations, or mechanical damage.

The state of the sand cushion, underlying soil, and other components supporting the weight of the house are all inspected.

The process is completed in phases:

• External inspection of visible parts of the tape. Visual detection of tape damage is carried out from the outside, from the basement (if possible). Looks for visible signs of problems with adjacent soil layers – subsidence, gullies, etc.d.
• Underground inspection. The tape is dug around the perimeter, the condition of the trench is checked, the surface of the tape is inspected and all damage that has occurred is detected. The immersion depth of the tape and the base material are assessed.

All of the damage found is included in a defect list that is created. A foundation plan with damaged, cracked, and deformed areas marked out is being created.

Decisions about how to address the issues that have emerged are made in light of the documentation that has been gathered.

A monthly inspection of the belt immobility is conducted during this work. On the surface, specialized control beacons are positioned, and their state is documented.

A month later, their status is reviewed. The belt settling process is finished if there are no changes.

The foundation must be unloaded in order to execute complicated work. Its function is to shift the house’s weight to an additional support structure so that the dirt beneath the tape can be removed in order to replace it or waterproof it.

How to strengthen a strip foundation

The extent and reasons for the damage dictate the steps that must be done to reinforce the tape. Sometimes updating the waterproofing is sufficient, but other times a series of intricate technical steps, such as adding more supports or extending the belt, are needed.

Let’s examine these techniques in more detail:

Strengthening a shallow foundation with a concrete jacket

An anchoring concrete casting placed on a wall’s trouble spot is called a concrete jacket.

To make it, take the subsequent actions:

• The surface of the tape is exposed, all soil in the problem area is removed from the trench.
• The waterproofing layer is removed from the concrete tape. The surface of the material must be absolutely clean, as after pouring.
• Transverse holes are drilled through the tape into which reinforcing bars are inserted.
• A reinforcement frame is tied, which is welded to the rods inserted into the holes of the tape.
• Formwork being installed.
• Concrete is poured and left for the required time.
• After the curing period has expired, the formwork is removed, the concrete surface is waterproofed and further actions are carried out.

The size of the damaged area determines the reinforced concrete jacket’s dimensions, which must not be less than one meter.

Creating a concrete frame

On both sides of the tape, the concrete collar creates an extra layer of material. The extra layer is poured on both sides of the tape’s problematic area, giving the technology a similar look to how a reinforced concrete jacket is installed.

Every action is carried out both within and outside of the tape. Consequently, the foundation thickens significantly and becomes strong enough to support heavy loads.

A lot of experts say they don’t trust installing clips. The absence of a qualitative difference between the old concrete and the new casting is how they support their claim. The technique works best in cases where there is minimal damage because the processes in the fresh material make it difficult for the layers to connect.

By using piles

Structural pile strengthening is a very diverse and intricate process. The purpose of installing piles is to give the tape more support. They are supported by thick soil layers, which prevent subsidence and raise the foundation’s load bearing capacity to accommodate new structural components or additions to the home.

There are various kinds of piles used:

• Micropiles.
• Pressable.
• Bored.
• Screw.
• Remote.

Every kind of pile serves a different purpose and is applied in specific circumstances where it is the most effective way to handle the issue at hand. As a result, screw piles can be manually installed with the least amount of force.

The use of pressed-in piles for reinforcement is restricted because they necessitate specialized tools.

A distance between the old tape’s perimeter and the installation of extended piles is used to guide the passage of metal beams that connect the piles. The house looks to be "suspended" on the beams as a result, getting extra support.

Because the building’s weight is split between its old and new foundations, it can support heavier loads.

With the help of tides

This method is applied to reinforce a tape composed of fragments, such as brick or crushed stone. The purpose of ebb tides is to serve as an armored belt.

They are positioned on the tape’s surface on both sides, with the lower portion pressed as firmly as possible against the wall surface and the upper portion kept out of contact.

After that, jacks are used to securely fasten the structure. To create a form for pouring concrete, a trench is dug. Consequently, an extra layer of reinforced concrete forms surrounding the tape, augmenting the base’s strength and ability to support loads.

Strengthening with shotcrete

The process of applying concrete with a unique spraying technique is known as shotcreting. For this, specialized equipment is used. The main technique involves applying compressed air pressure to a dry cement and sand mixture known as a shotcrete mixture.

Water is supplied to seal the mixture at the same time that the mixture is being supplied from another tank. Consequently, a layer of strong, long-lasting concrete with enhanced properties over traditional material types emerges on the reinforced surface.

Useful video

This section illustrates the steps involved in the process that we covered in the article:

Of course! This is a brief summary of the "Methods for strengthening strip foundations" article:

For buildings to remain structurally sound, strip foundation stability and longevity are essential. These bases are strengthened by a variety of techniques, each of which deals with particular difficulties and circumstances.

Underpinning, which entails strengthening current foundations by extending them deeper into the ground or adding new supports, is one efficient strategy. When handling soil subsidence or structural damage brought on by adjacent construction, this approach is very helpful.

Injecting a cement-based mixture into the soil beneath the foundation is another technique called grouting. Through this process, the soil is stabilized and the foundation’s ability to support weight is increased, increasing its resistance to settling and movement.

A contemporary solution for foundations with cracks or instability is carbon fiber reinforcement. Without requiring significant excavation, carbon fiber sheets or strips are applied to the foundation’s exterior to give it extra strength and stop it from deteriorating further.

Finally, in regions with expansive soil or high water tables, the installation of ground anchors or tiebacks can effectively stabilize foundations. By deeply ingrained in rock or stable soil, these anchors apply lateral pressure to offset potential forces that could result in foundation movement.

Homeowners and builders can make wise decisions to guarantee the longevity and safety of their constructions for many years to come by being aware of these techniques for fortifying strip foundations.

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