sloped cont. footings

[zennis]

I am looking for issues that would need to considered to sloped continuous footings rather than having steps in the footing? Issues that I initially consider are local erosion, maximum slope, drainage issues.

I quess the big question is, is it bad engineering practice to slope a footing?

 

[jheidt2543]

What is the footing supporting? The usual reason for a stepped footing is to avoid cutting the form work for a concrete wall. In the case of a block wall, it is the same, to avoid cutting the bottom courses of block.

There is really nothing wrong with a sloped continous footing (assuming a resonable slope). But from a constructability point of view, the stepped footing is less expensive.