How to protect excavations for footings and foundations from freezing conditions.

Winter is coming and with it freezing conditions. Builders and contractors should ensure that when construction footings and foundations that they protect the bottom of excavations from freezing temperatures during the construction of the building, because certain types of soils are subject to severe frost heave. The amount of frost heave is dependent on, the type of soil, moisture content and the depth of the frost. Article 9.12.1.3. of the Ontario Building Code addresses this requirement.

The diagram below depicts how to protect the soil from freezing.

Steven Penna has over 30 years of previous experience as a manager/supervisor for a number of

municipal building departments in the administration and enforcement of the Ontario Building Code Act and Regulation.

He is also a part-time instructor for Georgian College and Seneca College. Steven is a member of the Ontario Association of Certified

Engineering Technicians and Technologists