Concrete block wall 1

[Alaska]

I am building a 30 x 50 ft. building on sloped ground and I want it within the general building code guidelines and to be of good construction. I have a good footing and the 60' wall will be 6' above ground on one end and 3' at the other end. The remainder of the walls will not be as high. The opposite corner to the 6' high wall will be on grade at the ground.

I plan to pour a reinforced vertical column in the blocks every 4' and to have a reinforced bond beam on the top course. The inside of the walls will be filled with clean pea gravel from the quarry (crushed limestone rock) and the entire area will be covered with a 4" reinforced concrete slab.

My question is what size block do I need to use for the walls. Standard concrete blocks are 8" high and 16" long with various widths of 6", 8" or 12". I have used 8" in the past but this may not be adequate on a 60' length even though the limestone is quite light weight rock with no dirt in it.

Thanks for the help.

 

[dougantholz]

Alaska,
I think you will need to hire a local structural engineer to look at this. You don't talk about temperature joints, which you will need at 20', or talk about seismic loads - even though you are in Alaska, a very high seismic zone. If you are too remote, then talk to someone in Anchorage, but you will need a real engineer to do this.