Claim that underground plumbing cannot go through ground level slab

[rmay635703]

There are claims that because Texas has soil that flows like a river and because they just plop slabs on a floating rubble foundation there are claims that it isn’t possible to have underground pipe that goes under the slab in a sleeve and pops up somewhere through the foundation as the pipes will break and leak often..

The claim is the pipe must go above ground through the ceiling (which is illegal in many areas for residential)

So what is the proper technique for a flat on grade slab?

A 1940’s era home in this area zone 3 is in an area near the lake with shifting sands is an on grade slab, there is a scalloped area into the foundation near the wall of the home that is on the insulated side and has the pipe going into a below ground pocket , its original, never leaked and it’s very obvious the house has moved and shifted.

So what is the correct way to build for freezing temperatures with an on grade foundation in an area where the homes move significantly each year.

[freebeard]

here are claims that because Texas has soil that flows like a river and...

I'd look at the source for the claim. There are possibly swamps where this would be true. But frost heaves are more likely.

To design around the restriction, I'd put in a wet wall that reaches the exterior, possibly with a notch in the foundation at the junction.

[freebeard]

I apologize for being skeptical.

Youtube set me straight. (It's also apparently true that Youtube is hacking my Chrome browser: Youtube Caught BURNING OUT Your Computer & Phone ON PURPOSE Over Ads! This Is INSANE! (It's Real))

Anyways, it's soil liquifaction and is dependent on how shallow the ground water is.

Soil Liquefaction - BOSAI: Science that Can Save Your Life

So we're back to design. Who's exemplar is Tesla. Look at what they did at the Austin Gigafactory. They used rammed aggregate piers that extend all the way to bedrock. For example:

archive.constantcontact.com/fs186/1102402771473/archive/1120184120569

Use Rammed Aggregate Pier� (RAP) Elements to Replace Piles or Drilled shafts



Grounded Solutions March newsletter will discuss the use of Ground Improvement for floor slab and mat foundation support.

[Piotrsko]

What's significant movement? In Bakersfield, out in the oil fields, the pipe can grow/move as much as 3 foot on a really hot day. They have something called an Ohms loop every 300 yards or so to negate that movement.

If your house is moving so much that some sort of strain relief / flex system is required, I can see the point of not allowing it to run through the moving foundation from a fixed point. Do the wells move also? How about the sewer system or is it just houses only.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by Piotrsko

What's significant movement? In Bakersfield, out in the oil fields, the pipe can grow/move as much as 3 foot on a really hot day. They have something called an Ohms loop every 300 yards or so to negate that movement.

If your house is moving so much that some sort of strain relief / flex system is required, I can see the point of not allowing it to run through the moving foundation from a fixed point. Do the wells move also? How about the sewer system or is it just houses only.

I fail to see what the advantage is of running pipe nearly on the ground from the point through the roof.

If you’re moving that much are they using rubber garden hose?
I would think the location of the pipe would nt matter since it would break and leak no matter what.

How does the sewer work if it’s up in the air?

[JSH]

Originally Posted by rmay635703

There are claims that because Texas has soil that flows like a river and because they just plop slabs on a floating rubble foundation there are claims that it isn’t possible to have underground pipe that goes under the slab in a sleeve and pops up somewhere through the foundation as the pipes will break and leak often..

The claim is the pipe must go above ground through the ceiling (which is illegal in many areas for residential)

So what is the proper technique for a flat on grade slab?

I don't know about Texas but my house in Alabama was built on a slab foundation over gravel. The water ran under the house and popped up through PVC pipes in the slab that acted like a conduit.

Our neighbor had the same set-up and her house sprung a leak under the slab due to a failed water pressure regulator. Instead of jack hammering her slab looking for the leak they replumbed the house through the attic. A few years later we got a cold snap and her pipes froze and burst resulting in massive water damage.

On the topic of weird plumbing - I was talking to a plumber recently and he said a lot of houses here in the Portland area have the water heater in the attic. Not only is that a nightmare to replace but when they fail - massive water damage.