Soon to be installing a pair of 12ft x 6ft iron gates and pillars to keep the riffraff out. The steel pillars will sit next to brick pillars which I've yet to build. I plan to dig the footings for the steel post and pillars at the same time. Leaving the adjoining wall footings to be done when I get around to getting the wall in (there's conifer bushes there at the moment). How deep and how much wider than the pillars should I go for these footings? Steel mesh needed? Fibres? What mix would you recommend? Thanks all.
heavy! They are being made up for me at the moment. I don't know the exact weight but they won't be light...
Yes, the foundation will require to be designed for the overturning moment imparted by the weight of the gate and perhaps some kid swinging on it. The actual size of the foundation will depend on the characteristics of the supporting ground i.e. sand,clay,rock, hence no quick answer.
Agreed, happy to go full belt and braces. Does anyone know of any reading materials I can have a butchers at that'll give me the necessary calcs? Thanks for the replies both of you
Soil Mechanics by G N Smith and any structural engineering book but its not going to be plain sailing, good luck
I did one some years ago,post was steel box section & around 4' in ground surrounded by a 1mtr square block of concrete, the post then had a brick surround built around it. But, OP's gates hard to say without being there. Found this.
Trouble with OPs set up is that the steel pillars don't add a substantial weight to counteract the overturning moment about the pivot point at the right hand corner of the concrete foundation unlike the surrounds in the above example. Hence bigger concrete block would be required. As stated earlier it all depends on weight of gate
I don't profess to understand any of the above (other than the gates are gonna be heavy, and look fantastic) but, would fitting these castors (or heavier duty versions) to each gate help with the loading ? https://www.screwfix.com/p/gate-cas...-_-ironmongery-_-gatecastor&_requestid=554943
Can't you put a bracing beam across the top, like a height restriction. Maybe something ornamental . Or bury the bracing beam under the threshold . PhilSo
I like that idea Phil. I'll have a look into burying a bracing beam. I was thinking of bolting the steels to the brick pillars next to them nice and high. This should help somewhat I would think? Thanks for the replies gents.
If you have a buried bracing beam the gate posts would have to have a solid connection to it i.e. bolted/welded, or the posts would just pivot about the interface. Bolting steels to pillars would help as then their weight would help in counter acting the overturning force.
Could go a ground beam route. 300 X 600 footing, B785 mesh top and bottom extend this 500mm past each brick pillar. RC35 concrete. This will easily support what you have planned, the next tricky bit will be the baseplates for the columns that actually support your gates. Does your fabricator have much experience of this sort of thing?
I've put off installing similar sized gates for decades because of the perceived cost, even considering making them myself. I would likely have each leaf hinged in the centre and opening inwards and against the inside of the wall to allow access to a garage.
All a bit superficial, 35 concrete OTT, footing extended 500 mm past each pillar what about when gates are opened at 90 degrees, unless the ground conditions are known actual support abilities cannot be definite, B785 mesh A393 mesh more appropriate but without structural calculation just an opinion.