Background: The site is an industrial site in Houston, TX used to store containers, large compressors, i.e. heavy items for offshore piping services. Semi's & a huge RT fork lift are the main loads in concerned. There is a main drain for water.
Problem: I did not see the previous installment nor do I have access to drawings. All I can tell is that the concrete is in about 20'x20' sections (between expansion joints). Where four sections meet (in several locations about 1300 sq ft) the concrete has cracked and settled in some cases close to 4 inches. Not all the concrete was poured together..this is why only some concrete has failed.
I think this is do to ponding water seeping into the backfill through expansion joints, then the truck drives over and causes a build up of pore pressures, which in turn cracks the concrete.
To prevent this I have a couple ideas:
Repour concrete so that no ponding water occurs.
Backfill possibly was done wrong? 2' DGA compacted and compaction test to confirm.
Slab Design - not enough rebar, strength, dowels
Put in more drains
Finally what about caulking joints with a waterproof caulk so that water can't get below concrete. Or am I missing the point, Does the water come from below. Hard to say without knowing depth to water table.
I think the soil i s Beaumont clay: I obtained this from websoilsurvey.
Problem: I did not see the previous installment nor do I have access to drawings. All I can tell is that the concrete is in about 20'x20' sections (between expansion joints). Where four sections meet (in several locations about 1300 sq ft) the concrete has cracked and settled in some cases close to 4 inches. Not all the concrete was poured together..this is why only some concrete has failed.
I think this is do to ponding water seeping into the backfill through expansion joints, then the truck drives over and causes a build up of pore pressures, which in turn cracks the concrete.
To prevent this I have a couple ideas:
Repour concrete so that no ponding water occurs.
Backfill possibly was done wrong? 2' DGA compacted and compaction test to confirm.
Slab Design - not enough rebar, strength, dowels
Put in more drains
Finally what about caulking joints with a waterproof caulk so that water can't get below concrete. Or am I missing the point, Does the water come from below. Hard to say without knowing depth to water table.
I think the soil i s Beaumont clay: I obtained this from websoilsurvey.
