Explain why foundation wall cracks due to inward deflection caused by lateral soil pressures tend to occur near mid-height and not the bottom?
Explain why foundation wall cracks due to inward deflection caused by lateral soil pressures tend to occur near mid-height and not the bottom?
Causes of foundation wall cracks due to inward deflection by lateral soil pressure is :
1- The soil surrounding the wall gets swelled up in the presence of moisture which cause pressure on the wall to form crack over its mid height.
2- Hydrostatic pressure acts against the foundation walls due to accumulation of water within the backfill soil.
3- This failure at mid height of wall can be prevented by erecting vertical rectangular or I steel columns along the length of wall.
4- Foundation wall failure can be reduced by replacing existing surrounding subsoil by new soil which has low water absorption capacity.
5- At bottom of wall, lateral pressure due to water cause seepage along the base of foundation wall thus reducing it effect at bottom and have high pressure effect at mid height of wall.
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