No question, tree roots CAUSE cracks. Or am I to believe that, like the blind squirrel who finds an acorn, a tree root will head directly toward a crack in an otherwise uncracked wall, and penetrate it there? Who needs a “very reliable source” when mere logic proves the point?
I’ve read the letter from S. Jacobsen (P.E. and S.E.) to the JLC in their 10/09 edition and I have to say that he presents a logical and clear description of the effect of tree roots on clay soil that is supporting a building.
As J. Braun described, the root sucking the moisture from the clay - the resulting collapse and settlement damage - the root continuing to grow through the crack in search of more moisture…would appear to the naked eye as a root breaking through a foundation.
With the lack of the contrary evidence requested, I am ready to accept the engineer’s report.
One can be surprised where tree roots will end up.
They run out of moisture outside, they chase it inside in this FUBAR’d foundation and basement slab design.
Rob, the answer to your question as posed is yes. Can they cause foundation cracks directly? No.
The direct answer if you have ficus or eucalyptus trees on your property is yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes. Roots don’t need a crack. All they need is something in their way, like a building. I can’t believe no one here is a gardener and has seen what roots can do to a simple clay pot. When tree roots run out of space, they’ll do everything they can to get more space. It doesn’t have to be simple moisture that they are after.
…No? Hmmm.
Underground tree root caused foundation crack’s, caused leaky basement.
http://picasaweb.google.com/101049034584960315932/BasementWaterproofing09#5442183457360199010
See it? :mrgreen:
Here, root now removed, eyeball crack
http://picasaweb.google.com/101049034584960315932/BasementWaterproofing09#5442183481473676082
Follow crack around corner…
http://picasaweb.google.com/101049034584960315932/BasementWaterproofing09#5442183587752619026
And…
http://picasaweb.google.com/101049034584960315932/BasementWaterproofing09#5442183604679367970
A Taste of Honey/Herb…a real toe-tapper eh
Classical gas
Me ‘n you and a dog named Boo
‘Bubba remembers to this day, the bright red Georgia clay…and how it stuck to Bubba’s shovel after duh summer rain…Bubba power made that old sticky shovel go, the thought of a woman’ rack got Bubb’s through the day, oh how he wishes he was back on duh road again’
Me thinks John along with myself have seen more tree roots in openings in foundations that exaggerate a defect.
Tree root or more appropriately the “feeder root systems” love the footing perimeter drainage areas. Once they mark “the source of the best available water source” the tree marks that area and allows more roots to follow.
Like my habitual path to restaurants:-)
My observations.
They are the main source of water management issues or deficiencies.
These deficiencies allow water to accumulate up against the foundation wall/footing assembly.
Be it freeze expansion and loading, wet wall, under or between footing foundation junction or under the footing slab and between the floating floor/slab and foundation wall assembly water will perpetrate and root systems can follow.
JMO
