InspectAPedia ^®

Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair, & Problem Prevention Advice

InspectAPedia
Home

Air
Conditioning

Plumbing
Water
Septic

Roofing

Structure

Directory of Professionals to Inspect or Test a Building

FOUNDATION DIAGNOSIS
INTRODUCTION
FOUNDATION INSPECTION METHODS
SITE FACTORS AFFECTING FOUNDATIONS
FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION TYPES
FAILURES by FOUNDATION TYPE & MATERIAL
FOUNDATION DEFECTS OF OMISSION
FOUNDATION CRACK EVALUATION
  VERTICAL FOUNDATION CRACKS
  DIAGONAL FOUNDATION CRACKS
  HORIZONTAL FOUNDATION CRACKS
  SHRINKAGE vs EXPANSION vs SETTLEMENT
  Sinkholes & Building Damage
  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
More Information

InspectAPedia ^® Home & Site Map
Air Conditioning
InspectAPedia Bookstore
Electrical
Environment
Exteriors
Heating
Home Inspection
Insulate Ventilate
Interiors
Mold Inspect/Test
Roofing
Plumbing Water Septic
Structure
Accuracy & Bias Pledge
Contact Us

Repair Methods for Bulged or Cracked Foundation Walls
StructAPedia ^©

How to Repair Bulged, Cracked Building Foundations using pilasters, steel reinforcement, foundation anchors, sister walls, or wall reconstruction

Photographs and drawings of repair methods used for foundation wall cracks and bulges

Our site offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest. We will block advertisements which we discover or readers inform us are associated with bad business practices, false-advertising, or junk science. Our contact info is at inspect-ny.com/appointment.htm.

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 2008 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.

Repair Methods for Bulged Foundation Walls

Here we illustrate and describe several methods used to stiffen or reinforce bulging foundation walls against further movement.

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.

Using Pilasters for Repair of Foundation Wall Bulge, Cracks, Movement

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.

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.

FOUNDATION DIAGNOSIS
INTRODUCTION
FOUNDATION INSPECTION METHODS
SITE FACTORS AFFECTING FOUNDATIONS
FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION TYPES
FAILURES by FOUNDATION TYPE & MATERIAL
FOUNDATION DEFECTS OF OMISSION
FOUNDATION CRACK EVALUATION
  VERTICAL FOUNDATION CRACKS
  DIAGONAL FOUNDATION CRACKS
  HORIZONTAL FOUNDATION CRACKS
  SHRINKAGE vs EXPANSION vs SETTLEMENT
  Sinkholes & Building Damage
  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
  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
More Information

InspectAPedia ^® Home & Site Map
Structure
Contact Us

Using Reinforcing Steel I-Beams for Repair of Foundation Wall Bulge, Cracks, Movement

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.

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.

FOUNDATION DIAGNOSIS
INTRODUCTION
FOUNDATION INSPECTION METHODS
SITE FACTORS AFFECTING FOUNDATIONS
FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION TYPES
FAILURES by FOUNDATION TYPE & MATERIAL
FOUNDATION DEFECTS OF OMISSION
FOUNDATION CRACK EVALUATION
  VERTICAL FOUNDATION CRACKS
  DIAGONAL FOUNDATION CRACKS
  HORIZONTAL FOUNDATION CRACKS
  SHRINKAGE vs EXPANSION vs SETTLEMENT
  Sinkholes & Building Damage
  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
  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
More Information

InspectAPedia ^® Home & Site Map
Structure
Contact Us

Using Foundation Anchors for Repair of Foundation Wall Bulge, Cracks, Movement

Foundation Anchors may be used to stabilize a foundation wall which is not badly damaged. This approach uses horizontal driven pins to anchor the wall to the surrounding soil and resist resist further movement. 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.

Using Interior or Exterior Reinforcing Sister Walls for Repair of Foundation Wall Bulge, Cracks, Movement

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, I am 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 normaly 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.

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.

FOUNDATION DIAGNOSIS
INTRODUCTION
FOUNDATION INSPECTION METHODS
SITE FACTORS AFFECTING FOUNDATIONS
FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION TYPES
FAILURES by FOUNDATION TYPE & MATERIAL
FOUNDATION DEFECTS OF OMISSION
FOUNDATION CRACK EVALUATION
  VERTICAL FOUNDATION CRACKS
  DIAGONAL FOUNDATION CRACKS
  HORIZONTAL FOUNDATION CRACKS
  SHRINKAGE vs EXPANSION vs SETTLEMENT
  Sinkholes & Building Damage
  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
  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
More Information

InspectAPedia ^® Home & Site Map
Structure
Contact Us

Reconstruction as a Repair of Foundation Wall Bulge, Cracks, Movement

Reconstruction of the entire foundation wall is the repair usually called-for by masons and while probably the most-costly, is often the most effective repair method since it permits installation of drainage around the wall exterior as part of the procedure: 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.

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.

ADDITIONAL READING about Foundation Failure Diagnosis & Repair

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
www.inspect-ny.com - The Free Home Inspection & Construction Diagnosis Public Information Website

NOTE: Journal of Light Construction articles are available on CD ROM from the Journal of Light Construction, www.bginet.com, 802-434-4747

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.

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.

Technical Content Reviewers for Foundation Crack and Movement Damage Evaluation, Diagnosis, & Reporting

Daniel Friedman - ASHI (1986-2006) - author of this website and article, building failures researcher.
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

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.

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

...

InspectAPedia^® Home & Site Map - Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair, & Problem Prevention Advice: In-depth research & advice on diagnosing, testing, correcting, & preventing building defects & indoor environmental hazards. Unbiased information, no conflicts of interest.

The Mold Information Center: What to Do About Mold in Buildings, When and How to Inspect for Mold, Clean Up Mold, or Avoid Mold Problems

Use this simple, economical mold test kit by following our instructions on how to collect and mail mold samples to our lab

Environmental Inspection, Testing, & Diagnosis On-Site IAQ, Gas, Air Testing, Mold Investigation, Sick Building Diagnosis, Lab Services, & Remediation Plan Preparation - indoor air quality testing, problem source determination, supporting lab work, written remediation plan addressing removal of environmental and other hazards and prevention of their recurrence.

Building Inspection, Problem Diagnosis, Forensic Investigation & Testing, Repair Consulting

Contact Daniel Friedman for website content suggestions or for fee-paid consulting

InspectAPedia ®

Repair Methods for Bulged or Cracked Foundation Walls StructAPedia ©

Repair Methods for Bulged Foundation Walls

Using Pilasters for Repair of Foundation Wall Bulge, Cracks, Movement

Using Reinforcing Steel I-Beams for Repair of Foundation Wall Bulge, Cracks, Movement

Using Foundation Anchors for Repair of Foundation Wall Bulge, Cracks, Movement

Using Interior or Exterior Reinforcing Sister Walls for Repair of Foundation Wall Bulge, Cracks, Movement

Using Cables for Repair of Foundation Wall Bulge, Cracks, Movement

Reconstruction as a Repair of Foundation Wall Bulge, Cracks, Movement

ADDITIONAL READING about Foundation Failure Diagnosis & Repair

Technical Content Reviewers for Foundation Crack and Movement Damage Evaluation, Diagnosis, & Reporting

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

InspectAPedia ^®

Repair Methods for Bulged or Cracked Foundation Walls
StructAPedia ^©