What’s Up With Footings?

MiTek Mezzanine Systems’ team of Professional Engineers look at the entire scope of a project when designing mezzanine systems, including whether or not footings will be required. Once the engineering team has the desired specifications in hand, they are able to calculate the loads that will be created by the mezzanine on the slab in a facility.  If the calculations show that slab will not be able to handle the proposed loads, footings will be required.

The three key parameters that are considered when looking at an existing slab are slab thickness, slab strength, and the soil bearing capacity of the ground beneath the slab. A typical slab in a warehouse is 6 inches thick with a strength of 3,000 PSI and a soil bearing capacity of 2,000 PSF.  In newer facilities, this testing information is often readily available on the building plans, however it can be harder to come by when dealing with older facilities.  In cases where test results are not available, a 3 to 4 inch core can be cut in the slab allowing for strength testing and an analysis of the underlying soil.

If the calculations show that footings will be needed, there are a couple courses of action. MiTek Mezzanine Systems’ engineers will design footings and coordinate with your foundation contractor in order to ensure that all specifications are met. Alternatively, the design of the mezzanine can sometimes be changed in order to reduce column loads, thereby eliminating the need for footings.  Either way, the MiTek Mezzanine Systems team is here to help come up with the best solution for each individual facility.

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