FOAM TO USE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO NON - SHRINK GROUT

[arjel001]

Is it okay to use foam as an alternative filler to non - shrink grout on gaps between the steel column and its base?

Thank you, Hoping to hear your good comments and suggestions.

 

[racookpe1978]

Only if there is never any load on the column. 8<)

Maybe it is very light grout. And they shook it, rather than mixing with a trowel or hoe?

 

[IFRs]

Are there nuts under the base plate and were the base plate and anchor bolts designed for an air gap?

 

[Teguci]

This is a joke, right?

Had a job where I called for a 90-deg hooked rebar at the base of a retaining wall and the "contractor" replaced it with 2-straight bars cut to the length of the hook (they didn't have a bender). I imagine these guys didn't have grout?

 

[MotorCity]

I have seen several baseplates that are never grouted (light pole bases, signs, stanchions, etc)....all small stuff. No grout is essentially the same as using foam. However, I would say that no foam would be better since the foam obscures the view of any potential corrosion issues. If it was my project, I would have the foam removed and assess whether grout is required or not.

 

[BUGGAR]

Hey, at least it looks like they're trying to cure the concrete outside of the baseplate.

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

If the foam has a couple thousand psi of compressive strength; sure. Otherwise I hope this is the only column done like this or they're really going to hate it when they have to remove it.

Professional and Structural Engineer (ME, NH)
American Concrete Industries

http://www.americanconcrete.com

 

[jwilki]

This is up there, but not as high as Chinese manufactured I-beams welded with a silicon fillet both sides (painted silver to match). There was a thread back a few weeks about the use of leveling nuts on the underside of the baseplate and no grout (used for power stations ???), so in some instances the grout is redundant.

 

[DETstru]

Maybe the base plate was sleepy so they gave it a pillow to rest on...?

In theory you can support a good amount of load on anchor bolts alone. Given the position of the bolts within the flanges, I'd say that was not the intent of the designer. If this is supporting a roof or floor, it likely needs (real) grout.

 

[RHTPE]

Before freaking out on this, I would determine if the spray foam was used to provide a grout dam. A very common trick in concrete form construction.


Ralph
Structures Consulting
Northeast USA

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

Never heard of them doing that but that's a genius idea. I may have to steal that for our precast work.

Here's to hoping that's what they did but it looks to me that the foam is squirting out from under the plate...

Professional and Structural Engineer (ME, NH)
American Concrete Industries

http://www.americanconcrete.com

 

[RHTPE]

TME - We do that often - covers a multitude of sins in form construction. Spray it into small gaps in the formwork, let it harden, then shave it flush with a knife. Great at the bottom of wall forms on footings that are less than perfectly level & smooth. Very helpful when you're using SCC, as SCC will find every hole.

Ralph
Structures Consulting
Northeast USA