Thickened Edge vs Strip Footing Weight Distribution

[Andrew Wilkinson]

Hi all

Recognizing that the thickened edge part of a thickened edge slab is there for multiple reasons, one being to pick up loads from walls above: does a thickened edge slab distribute weight differently than a footing with stem wall would? In my region a 30" wide x 10" tall footing is standard, as is a 16"x16" thickened edge. To me it would seem that the thickened edge has only 50% the bearing capacity of a footing.
Unless the thickened edge, due to the monolithic pour, somehow takes wall load and distributes it across the slab...?

Thank-you!

 

[SwinnyGG]

Well the thickened edge is integral with the SOG... how it transfers load into the slab doesn't seem to have much mystery. If you put a load directly on the thickened edge, you're going to engage the SOG as well; you're effectively applying a bending load to it. How much and how far away the SOG sees load and increased bearing pressure against the underlying fill is a different question which definitely has a little mystery involved.