09-27-2007, 06:58 AM
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Member
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Ormond Beach, Florida
Posts: 7,794
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Re: SlabTek foundation system
Rick,
That would be no different that treating for a crawlspace, provide it was lifted high enough ... which brings me to my questions ...
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Slabtek Slabs are poured on top of the ground and then raised above the ground to a desired height, with patent pending lifting mechanisms. Using the ground as a form is a very economical process, much like commercial tilt-wall construction.
Slabtek Slabs are engineered whereby the same lifting mechanisms used to lift the slab can be used to adjust the height of the slab in the future, if this is ever required.
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Okay, you have the underground plumbing, electrical, and HVAC (basically the refrigerant and condensate sleeves) installed, you construct the slab, then go to raise the slab ... unless you are using really oversized sleeves, and then they would need to be sealed well to keep out moisture and termites.
What happens to all of those pipes if the sleeves do not move freely? They get pulled up out of the soil? There goes the plumbing sewer pipe slopes.
It's kind of like what I've always asked about expansive and unstable soil - why not build on pilings using elevated slabs (post tension), in fact, it's the same thing I've always said, except for the 'use the soil as the form then raise it' part.
Here's some problems I see with it as designed (and I'm not an engineer either):
The ONLY THING holding the lifting sleeve to the slab are two little 'bolts' sticking out two sides.
I don't see how, as shown in the photo 'Slabtek before concrete is poured' those lifting AND SUPPORTING sleeves will not 'punch through' the slab.
No moisture barrier on the ground?
No sleeve on the pipe shown in that photo.
The sides of that 'column cap' looks like they should have been tapered at 45 degrees.
There is not much steel at all in that column cap.
Oh well, without the engineered PT and reinforcing layout, no inspection can be done. 
Another thought: how high can you lift the slab on those skinny little threaded rods before the slab starts to sway in the breeze and then falls over? |