Structural Concerns?
To the Editor:
I was looking forward to reading the
foundation repair article in the current
issue ("Quick Foundation Repair," 8/98),
as my firm designs repairs to many
masonry basement walls. However, my
anticipation turned to concern when I
read the article — in particular the statement
that the bulging may not be a
structural concern. If the wall is
bulging, it is overloaded. If the wall has
horizontal cracks in the joints on the
interior, it has failed in flexure and can
no longer resist the lateral soil pressure
that will be applied against it.
Of even greater concern was that no
mention was made of bracing the interior
of the wall during the concrete
pour.