Clay tile (block) foundation

[Cosimo]

Anyone familiar with a reference source for clay tile foundations? An existing home is constructed on a 6" thick clay tile crawl space foundation and the ownwer is investrigating adding a second floor.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

IBC2006 says minimum of 15'' footing with two stories - more if brick or bad soil if I was doing it.

Typical around here is 20-24'' footing

 

[Cosimo]

Thanks Mike, but I am trying to find infomation on the compressive strength of clay tile/block as that is the foundation wall material.

 

[concretemasonry]

The orientation ans size/shape of the core/cells in the clay tile is a factor. Clay tile can have local variations in the configuration and method of construction. Mortar strength is usually not a factor.

There should not be problem with the wall compressive strength for a crawl space with minimal difference between interior and exterior soil levels.

The 6" thick wall could be a code problem, but 6" walls can have very high vertical capacities. - I have seen 20 stories of 6" unreinforced/partially reinforced concrete block.

Dick