FootingPad vs Concrete

How can FootingPad Match the Performance of Concrete Footings?

FootingPad is 3 Times Stronger than the Maximum Allowable Load

To understand how FootingPad can replace concrete footings of equal size, it’s helpful to understand Presumptive Soil Bearing Capacity and Maximum Allowable Load. As you’ll see below, FootingPad post foundations are designed to be about three times stronger than the maximum load they are allowed to carry under building code specifications. FootingPad and concrete footings are both many times stronger than required for the Maximum Allowable Load on any project. This means that you can use FootingPad as a superior alternative to concrete footings of equal size: FootingPad is lightweight, easy to handle, and significantly more environmentally friendly. 

Presumptive Soil Bearing Capacity

Presumptive Soil Bearing Capacity is the presumed load bearing capacity of a soil type as defined by local building code guidelines. The Presumptive Soil Bearing Capacity is usually based on previous soil testing and experience so that you don’t have to do actual testing on every building site.

Example Presumptive Soil Bearing Capacities: 

  • Clay and Silt: 1,500 psf
  • Sand and Gravel: 2,000-3,000 psf
  • Sedimentary Rock: 4,000 psf

Maximum Allowable Load

The Maximum Allowable Load may also be referred to as Allowable Load, Allowable Vertical Load, Maximum Structural Load, or just Maximum Load. It is the largest load that the ICC Building Code allows to be placed on a footing based on the Presumptive Soil Bearing Capacity. It is calculated using the Presumptive Load Formula shown below. Footings of all materials, including FootingPad and concrete, are governed by the same Maximum Allowable Load limit that is calculated with that formula. Because concrete and FootingPad footings are both limited by the same Maximum Allowable Load, their code compliant load rating is equivalent.

Presumptive Load Formula

Use this formula to calculate the Maximum Allowable Load. The same load limit applies to composite footings such as FootingPad, as well as to concrete. 

Formula: Presumptive Soil Bearing Capacity (psf) x Footing Surface Area (sq ft) = Maximum Allowable Load (lbs)

Example: 3,000 psf soil with a 24″ diameter footing (3.1416 sq ft): 
3,000 (psf) x 3.1416 (sq ft) = 9,425 (lbs) Maximum Allowable Load

FootingPad Testing Provides the Proof

All FootingPad sizes are independently tested to meet ICC Building Code standards. (See ICC-ES Evaluation Report 2147.) For example: 24″ FootingPad footings were tested on 3,000 psf soil to support over 29,000 lbs. This is over 3 times the Maximum Allowable Load of 9,425 lbs. for a 24″ footing. This makes FootingPad functionally equivalent to concrete footings of equal size—except that FootingPad is lightweight, easy to handle, and will save you time, labor, and hassle compared to concrete.

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