The Wafflemat™ Foundation Forming System

On-grade Mat Foundation for Expansive, Collapsible and Rocky Soils

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Upfront

• The Wafflemat Foundation-Forming System– What it is – and isn’t– Features– Typical installation steps– ‘How To’– Photo Sequences– Technical resources– Contacts

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Description

• What it is– Elevated post-tension slab (4” to 6”) poured monolithically over either

8.5” or 12” high, 19” x 19” foundation forms (‘Waffleboxes’), which provide void space for movement of soils

– A series of ribs, 3’8” on center, are created by inter-connecting the foundation forms

• What it’s not– Slab resting entirely on grade, made entirely of concrete, without a

place for movement of soils

– Dirt-formed rib system requiring significant trenching and construction

It is

5

is not...

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Section View

Top View

Cross Section

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Features

Design: – Use on expansive, collapsible, and rocky soils.

Performance: - Voids resist swelling from over-watering, surface drainage, and flooding. Ribbed footprint

means less contact with soil, yet extremely stiff slab. Prefect placement of cables equals minimum sag/additional strength. Acts as built-in vapor barrier.

Implementation: – No presoaking pads, no trenching for concrete beams, no footings, no earth spoils and off-

haul. Less depth of trenching for plumbing laterals beneath foundation forms. Quick -- and, fool proof -- set up/installation.

References: - Millions of sf residential & light commercial space installed since 1995 in most difficult soil

conditions in US and Mexico without one structural callback/failure.

One More: Made of “green” (re-cycled polypropylene plastic) materials

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Typical Installation Cycle

• Day 1: Form boards set, plumbing installed, inspection

• Day 2: On-grade mat foundation forms (‘Waffleboxes’) spread and clipped/connected– Two sizes of void boxes; 8.5” uses plastic clips, 12” metal clips– Place tendons/anchor bolts– Set interior form; i.e., garage firewall / porch– Inspection

• Day 3: Slab poured– Strong enough for crew to walk on

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‘How To’

• Estimate number of Wafflebox foundation forms in footprint- Take total sf of footprint, divide by 4.15- Example: 1500 sf / 4.15 = 361 Waffleboxes needed

• Calculate number installed per man hour- Detailed survey of last 15 projects; most 175 per man hour, least 28 per man

hour, average 75 per man hour

• Determine yards of concrete in a Wafflemat slab- 28 sf per cubic yard using 8.5” Wafflebox w/ 5” slab- Example: 1500 sf / 28 = 54 yards

Setup

Setup

12

Groups of two/four Waffleboxes clipped & connected

Slab Pour

Finish

5,000 sf house in Hawaii

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Note: Plumbing already up

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Waffleboxes left out for point loads

Cables in Clips

Strong enough to walk on

Working in Hawaii

Waffleboxes ‘lock’ when concrete poured

Used on Multi Levels

Finished House

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Technical Resources

• Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On-Grade_Mat_Foundation_for_Expansive_Soils

• Google: ‘On-grade mat foundations’

• Best Base Website → ‘Technical Papers’– Wafflemat Slabs Provide Superior Performance – Lowering the Carbon Footprint When Using the Wafflemat

System for Concrete Slab Foundations – Wafflemat System Design Considerations – Wafflemat FAQ – Thermo Mechanical Analysis of Wafflemat Samples– Wafflemat and the IBC

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Contacts

• www.thebestbase.com

• Tom Richards, 925.683.2739

• Jim Winslow, Implementation: 925.352.2456

• Rich Treanor, Planning/Production: 925.640.8680

• Tom Bragg, Engineering Liaison: 925.915.0808

• John Cook, S.E.: 707.578.8185

• Dan Rhoades, G.E.: 925.932.1177

• Greg Carr, P.E.: 925.336.6366