Bell-Bottom vs deep piling in SE Houston (Pasadena/LaPorte)

[meweinha]

Y'all,

I am a newbie - so excuse my lack of expertise. I remodel homes and have never worked on a home with a foundation problem. Recently, I have been looking at home with a 3" drop through the center of it and have been trying to figure out if the SouthEast Houston area/La Porte/ Pasadena soil makes either:

1) Bell-bottom 12ft
or
2) Deep piling

the better solution.

Anybody have any knowledge of that area or advice?

Thank you in advance,

Meweinha

 

[Focht3]

I'm familiar with your area; I grew up in Houston and practiced there for over 8 years.

I've also served as an expert witness in a lot of foundation claims, some of which included inexperienced underpinning contractors. And badly botched repairs. No offense, but you "sound" inexperienced, so proceed with extreme caution. Or you may ruin your business - and someone's home!

Underreamed piers ("bell bottomed&quot are far more common, but the steel piles (like Perma Jack) can also work. Each situation is different. Some parts of southest Houston / Pasadena / LaPorte have highly plastic clays with lots of slickensides (weak failure planes) within them, and a shallow groundwater table. And lots of sand pockets, seams and partings. These soils are difficult to bell in - collapse is a real problem, so the jacked steel pile is a better choice for those sites.

Okay, I've (sorta) answered your question - now answer one for me. Has this house been releveled before, or was built before about 1968? The slab's shape that you described (...a home with a 3" drop through the center of it...) is characteristic of a house that was only piered around the perimeter. It could also indicate the loss of ground beneath a slab where the cast iron plumbing is badly corroded. Some of the soil beneath the slab has been carried into the broken sewer, and the use of the plumbing has carried the soil away.

Anyway, I'd excavate at the corners of the home to be sure that it wasn't piered before. Let us know what you find -





Please see FAQ731-376 by [blue]VPL[/blue] for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

 

[ishvaaag]

Micropiles use to be an alternative for foundation repair work because they can be installed from within most buildings. Consider it.

 

[thelab]

I, like FOCHT3, am from the Houston area and practiced here for 30-years. He is correct. You should proceed carefully if you are new at this business. The soils will be the fat Beaumont clay with slickensides. Bell bottoms may be the predominant foundation in the area, but they can collapse due to these secondary structures of slickensides. Twelve feet depth below grade is typical for bell bottoms in the area. Good luck!!

 

[Focht3]

Hey, Woody! Welcome to [blue]Eng-Tips[/blue]!

(Your 'handle' gave you away...not to mention the 3 decades of experience.)


Tell everyone 'hello' for me -



Please see FAQ731-376 by [blue]VPL[/blue] for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

 

[thelab]

Focht3

It is not Woody...It is some else not quite as old! You and I sort of grew up together...our parents went to the same church. I'll call you...RM

 

[Focht3]

Okay, sorry Ray. How's Keith?

(Was that a better guess?)




Please see FAQ731-376 by [blue]VPL[/blue] for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

 

[thelab]

Much better...He's still Keith. See you in Dallas?

 

[Focht3]

Probably not - busy fall. Wish I could make it.

Anyway, welcome to [blue]Eng-Tips[/blue]!



Please see FAQ731-376 by [blue]VPL[/blue] for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.