Repair foundation or replace building

[bennelli25]

I've had alot of different opinions from my friends and family so I thought I would throw out the question on here.. I have an old 34x54x20 quonset building that is in need of some repairs. The building is from the 50's and there are a few things wrong with it. The short list is as follows.

1. Leaky roof, we have tried many times to fix the leaks but the temperature extremes in minnesota cause the seams to fluxuate quite a bit between summer and winter. It is not too bad but it is kind of a pain. I'm not too worried about this as I can keep replacing bad nailes with screws and eventually will fix most of the leaks.
2. The galvanized tin is partially rusted on about 1/4 of the building. I can put special primary on to help stop the rust from getting worse and prolong the life of the steel.
3. This is the part I'm really worried about. The foundation was built with two foot (2x53x.5) formed concrete sides to raise the base of quonset frame up two feet off the concrete floor. This allows for more room along the sides but it really puts alot of pressure on the two foot concrete walls. The two foot concrete walls have since broken off from the concrete floor and are now sinking into the ground. They did not use rebar to help keep it from cracking.

So the major question I have is: Should I try to repair the foundation by jacking up one side, pour a new foundation, and repeat the same process on the other side or just scrap the building and put up a new pole building?

The building is nice and big but if I look at all the repairs that need to be made it is getting close to the cost of a new building. I can take down the old one myself. I'm just looking at the cost of putting up a new one on the same location.

 

[Egon]

Short term pile dirt along the concrete walls to help hold them in place and use some paint on the rusted steel.

Long term rebuild.:thumbsup:

 

[2manyrocks]

I'd like to see a picture.

I've replaced a shed wall foundation before on a regular barn. I wonder how you'd jack up a quonset hut since it has an arched shape? I'm not saying it shouldn't be done, but I'm wondering how you do it?

 

[bennelli25]

I forgot to mention that there two concrete buttresses on each side to keep it from spreading out. It seems to be sinking faster then spreading out. I like the dirt idea to keep it from spreading out anymore.

I am not going to attempt to jack up one complete side all at once. I was planning on doing 10 to 15 feet sections. I would break a hole in the concrete wall, slide in my long steel ibeam to raise the wall, jack it up, tear out the old concreate in that section then pour the new form.

I will not be able to get pictures until this weekend. Until then here is another description. the concrete foundation is basically U shaped. 34 feet wide with 2 foot walls. The two foot walls have broken off inside the U almost flush with the wall. So instead of the concrete slab helping support the weight of the building it is now just an 6 inch wide wall running 53 feet. So far it as sunk in about two inches and spread out about an inch at the widest part. It has a nice sand/gravel underlayment but there is all clay underneath that.

 

[/pine]

Is there a bell or poured footer around the perimeter (under the 2" wall)?

 

[bennelli25]

There is not a footer. They poured the concrete slab, put rebar vertically for the wall, then poured the wall. They did not put rebar horizontally into the slab.

 

[dave1949]

Is there a bell or poured footer around the perimeter (under the 2" wall)?

I wondered that too. Sounds like there isn't.

That would be quite an effort to jack up a section,
bust up, cut and remove old wall,
really needs a frost wall & footer: digging underneath the existing quonset wall, forming and rebar,
pour new concrete,
re-attach quonset metal to new wall section.

I think Egon's stop-gap of dirt banking sounds more practical if you just want to extend the useful life of the quonset hut.

It's one of those cases where something is really too nice to just throw away, but to keep it maintained means spending more time and money than it may be worth. For a bit more money spent and a lot less effort, you could have a new pole building.

I would punt. Pile up dirt and see what happens. You are not out much money if it doesn't help. I don't see the dirt pushing the wall inwards if it isn't piled too high. The sinking can't be helping with the leaks since it must be putting a twist on the metal hoops.
Dave.

 

[/pine]

The two foot concrete walls have since broken off from the concrete floor and are now sinking into the ground.... They poured the concrete slab, put rebar vertically for the wall, then poured the wall. They did not put rebar horizontally into the slab.

Not sure I get the entire picture...did part of the slab (floor) break off with the wall?

 

[pat32rf]

Is this a metal quonset hut? If so you will have to either unbolt it or lift it in one piece, all at once. Mine (30'x80') is built much the same way, on concrete walls along each edge. The walls are shifting a bit, or were not straight to begin with. In my case the end walls are not fastened at the base, just the side walls.
If I had to lift mine I would support the middle of the arch in about 4 places with floor jacks and beams while I unbolted and lifted one side at a time by cranking up the floor jacks.
We did lift a smaller unit this way to put higher footings under each side, giving more head room.
You might also consider unbolting your unit, one section at a time and selling it. Even rusty they are a handy building for storage......

 

[bennelli25]

Here are a few pictures to help show it. The picture of the corner is the worst. the rest of the wall is for the most part not crumbling just vertical cracks.