Did the entire driveway fail? If not, the problem should have been as simple as cutting a strip out and repour with expansion in it. or worst case the squared attatched to the joint. If they tore out any more than that i would tell em to get bent. Also, expansion is nice when the concrete is locked in place, such as a driveway. From the garage slab to the street, but it is unessasary if it is just a patio or stoop, anything not locked in on both sides. Also the comment about nothing that isn't on a foundation should be tied to it, that is a guy who probably will have stoops falling off his homes. If it is a controlled elavation, such as an entry to a home, or the drive to the garage slab, I would definately pin it. you can't prep the base good enough to not have settlement issues with the stoop, I say that because most stoops are heavy, and poured right on top of the backfilled trench next to the foundation. Over time the do settle! Sorry to hear about your luck, and remember if its locked on both sides it needs a way to flex if it moves up and down. Btw was this pinned? I worked on a pool deck this spring, the guy used an expansion joint on it, but the pool deck heaved, pushed up on the brick building it was next to, and actually lifted the building. Sometimes expansion and not pinning can be your enemy!! It depends on the situation so use common sense, and you should be fine. I pin things to foundations all the time! It has a purpose, and anyone who disagrees doesn't understand the purpose of why so many concrete guys do this!
Did the entire driveway fail? If not, the problem should have been as simple as cutting a strip out and repour with expansion in it. or worst case the squared attatched to the joint. If they tore out any more than that i would tell em to get bent. Also, expansion is nice when the concrete is locked in place, such as a driveway. From the garage slab to the street, but it is unessasary if it is just a patio or stoop, anything not locked in on both sides. Also the comment about nothing that isn't on a foundation should be tied to it, that is a guy who probably will have stoops falling off his homes. If it is a controlled elavation, such as an entry to a home, or the drive to the garage slab, I would definately pin it. you can't prep the base good enough to not have settlement issues with the stoop, I say that because most stoops are heavy, and poured right on top of the backfilled trench next to the foundation. Over time the do settle! Sorry to hear about your luck, and remember if its locked on both sides it needs a way to flex if it moves up and down. Btw was this pinned? I worked on a pool deck this spring, the guy used an expansion joint on it, but the pool deck heaved, pushed up on the brick building it was next to, and actually lifted the building. Sometimes expansion and not pinning can be your enemy!! It depends on the situation so use common sense, and you should be fine. I pin things to foundations all the time! It has a purpose, and anyone who disagrees doesn't understand the purpose of why so many concrete guys do this!
I understand your concept behind doweling into existing, adjouning foundations, but would agree with Neo, as I would NEVER tie them together. Ocaissionally I will drill some dowels UNDER the the concrete so, if settling occurs, they have a little additional support, but the slab is free to raise with frost heave.
I am a firm believer that you cant beat "Mother Nature" when it comes to frost heave. I've seen plenty of block foundations, garage floors, etc... damage thru the years due to pinning.
I would also warn that some poured wall cos. warranties specifically state that any pinning into the foundation to exterior concrete voids all warranty. Your really not doing your customer a great service by eliminating their warranty for them.
I will say that on ocaission, I have pinned a few things together that were questionable, but it was for the better IMO. I just don't feel you can put a blanket statement out that "pinning is the right thing to do", because where there's frost, frost will win.
Yes, the purpose is employment
for the guy who follows to fix the damage.
I've been watching what happens
to concrete poured against houses
for 40 years, and in this climate, it heaves.
The side farthest from the house
heaves the most.
The problems you are trying to solve
are a result of sitting on uncompacted
back fill.
There is a way around that.