JUNE 2013 MEETING
Wednesday, June 12, 2013 (1.5 PDH)

TECHNICAL PROGRAM

"Slabtek" A technological advancement in foundation design.

Speaker: Tony Childress, P.E., S.E. Owner and President of Childress Engineering Services, 2505 N. Plano Rd., Suite 1200 • Richardson, Texas 75082 • Phone: (214) 451-6630 • Fax: (214) 451-6631 • www.slabtek.com

Childress Engineering Services specializes in Architectural Engineering, Forensic Engineering, Structural Engineering, Drafting, Construction Management and Consultation to residential builders, commercial owners, architects, manufacturers and contractors for design, analysis, and remedial construction. Childress Engineering Services has over 23  years  of  extensive  experience  in  research,  design,  management  and consulting   including  project  engineering,   design   engineering   and   construction administration for commercial, residential and industrial projects and provides expert witness testimony on engineering and construction legal matters

PRESENTATION SUMMARY

To a crowd of approximately 70 attendees, Mr. Childress gave a presentation on a foundation system that is effective in isolating slabs on grade from highly expansive soils. The product is called SlabTek™ appears to be most effective for production slabs for residential and multi-family foundations.  The goal of the new system is to address the cost of construction, long-term performance and adjustability of slab on grade foundations.  According to Mr. Childress, the SlabTek™ system addresses the effect of expansive soils and differential movement of slab on grade foundations with an innovative and cost effective solution, and provides a technological innovation for the building industry that enables foundations to perform successfully regardless of soil conditions.

During the presentation Mr. Childress illustrated that SlabTek is a patented process of elevating a slab on grade foundation above the ground.  This process illustrated that piers are designed and cast below a non-structural soil pad. The pad is created to act as a form for construction of a post-tensioned slab. The slab is then designed and cast on the bed and special screw jacks and other accessories are cast into the piers and slab. After tensioning, the entire slab is raised above the bed using screw jacks embedded in piers.  Mr. Childress noted that the current recommended maximum vertical lift is 18”. Once complete, the slab is fully isolated from the shrink-swell effects of the soils.

Mr. Childress pointed out that SlabTek™ is effective on many different soil types since the final foundation product is a structural slab and is isolated from contact with the soils. Void forms are not required by the method of construction. Piers depths are designed to negate soils movements due to moisture changes. The construction methods reduce construction time and weather delays, and an isolated structural foundation reduces warranty concerns.

To download a copy of the slide presentation please click here