The list has discussed this issue before (several years ago) so you could do a search. I recommend just sizing your footings for the forces acting and then you don't have to worry about somebody cutting out the slab or tie bars because they are in the way, as has happened on more than one job.
Gary
Gordon Goodell wrote:
metal buildings Hi,
I’ve got a large (100’x140’) pre-fab steel building for an ice rink that I’m doing the foundations for. It’s basically seven 3-hinged arches, 100’ wide. I just found out that the foundation has to be designed without a slab (which won’t be built maybe for years, until the budget allows). So I’ve got ~65 kips of out-thrust at the base of each column, and no opportunity for a hairpin into the slab. And the budget also does not allow at this time for the strip footing/stemwall to be built between the piers. So I told the client that he’s going to have to connect the base of each arch with a concrete/rebar tie underground, and he flipped out. This is a non-profit community effort to get covered ice here (which we all want), and the budget doesn’t appear to have an extra $50 in it, let alone what it would take to probably account for the foundation forces.
The steel building manufacturer is not interested in trying to resolve the horizontal force higher up; his steel sections will not handle a cable tie at eave level. Other than an abutment or a tension tie, I’m at a loss. Does anyone have other ideas for how to deal with this?
thanks,
Gordon Goodell
Alta, WY