Stepped Foundation Help

surfsupinhawaii

I am a General contractor in the Sierras of California. I have a question about stepping a foundation. I have a slope of 3.5%. I will just deal with one side of the wall which is the steepest. It is a 40' run with a rise of 18'. or from the highest point it drops 18'' in 40 feet. I would like to put a cripple wall in and want to step the foundation. I need a foundation height of 6'' above grade. Should I step the wall when it gets to 12'' and then drop down to 6 again. I want the cripple wall so I can run my septic and other pipes with ease. I looked at the UBC code1806.4 but did not come up with much. Anyone have any suggestions. Thanks again, Scott in Sierra Nevada.

concretemasonry

Stepped foundation in a seismic zone?

Ask the local building official for an "interpretation" of the footing requirements. The published codes will not be able to give you a "canned" solution.

He can give you the structural code limits and you can design/build to fit the limits. He will not object to what you do then.

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Dick

Engineer, designer and consultant recently active domestically and internationally on construction and design in about 35 countries.

surfsupinhawaii

Thanks concretemasonry, I just was looking for some suggestions from the pros here. I have thought about talking to my inspector, but would like to get some feed back from here first. I am in Seismic zone 3, which is relatively quiet and a long ways from a fault. The county asks for 18'' frost line. I deal more with a 78psf snow load than I have to deal with Seismic issues, I also see that I posted in the wrong thread, Sorry.

concretemasonry

You did get a pro. - I am an engineer that has designed in California.

Your 18" frost depth is no big thing but the snow load could be a problem if you have don't have good soil or do have a slip plane on the site.

I haven't designed in California lately, but the code changes (UBC vs. IBC vs. local codes) can get complicated on the steps and reinforcement for seismic areas. The name of the game is continuity in any seismic area.

How are you building without a permit?

Because of the local nature of conditions (snow, wind) in the Sierras a local code official can be a good friend.

Good luck with the golden trout.

__________________
Dick

Engineer, designer and consultant recently active domestically and internationally on construction and design in about 35 countries.

surfsupinhawaii

Who said I was building without a permit? I am doing all of the layout, most of the engineering then having a licensed engineer stamp them and plan drawings. I dont believe I said I was buiding without a permit? The plans are in correction stages and I am just laying out my batter boards and where I will excavate. I am not asking for a layout, just a simple question on if you have a 3.5% slope with a run of 40' and a drop of 18 inches in that 40', would you drop it at 12'', maybe the information is to vague, but I think it's pretty clear. Don't you have to be licensed in California to do any type of Engineering, last time I checked you would?

concretemasonry

You never mentioned you had a permit. I sounded like you more of a design/construcion problem.

I didn't think anyone would get on line about batter boards and slope. Its all pretty basic.

It seems to me the certificate on my wall says something and Registered Civil Engineer and California. At least it was clear enough for the registered Structural Engineers that worked for me there.

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Dick

Engineer, designer and consultant recently active domestically and internationally on construction and design in about 35 countries.

Same Old

wow. some people's kids.

They'll lose that registration if they are caught plan stamping. soooo...

Sorry surfsup, it's hard to take you seriously when getting things like foot and inch notations mixed up. And then of course your misunderstanding of the engineering trade.
We can spot homeowners a mile away dude.

Get an engineer, or hire a contractor that can handle your situation.

surfsupinhawaii

surfsupinhawaii

sorry bro, for missing the notation on the end of my foot and inches, I guess I have not spent enough time typing like most of the pros in here. I guess I can tell what kind of contractor you are, the kind that does the pen pushing. I am the kind that does the shovel digging and hammer pounding, and know for a fact that I could hammer you into the ground. I understand engineering very well and this was never a question of engineering. The thing I understand the most about these types of forums are that they are full of fat, lazy coffee drinking, blow hards. Your a jerk bro, and wish I was at your jobsite, your like most of the contractors I have met, idiots,donut eaters and fags. Later cocksucker. Do I still sound like a homeowner. I am sure you will try to say something intelligent or funny, but when it comes down to it, your both just a couple of losers. I poured my stepped foundation and the inspector said it was the cleanest work he had seen in years. I know that it is 10 times better than anything you two retards could do and it was my first pour and I did it by myself. I hope you heard that part, I poured a 2400 sq by myself. I am sure you and your mexican jumping bean illegals could not even come close to this, and from the looks of your picture fat boy you would probably push some concrete for 5 minutes and drop dead. Go have a burrito with your illegals on me.

lukachuki

Prov 12:15 "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel."

Prov 18:2 "A fool does not delight in understanding, But only in revealing his own mind."

Prov 26:4 "Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him."

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"The problem with internet quotes is, you never know if they are authentic." -Abraham Lincoln-

Less with the jaw more with the paw!

bobbrown

The poor guys just asked a simple question. The meaness of some of these responses are exactly why these threads are not fun or instructional to visit.
How about a little civility.