Repairing shifted coloumn

[stork955]

Gday all, Im just about to have a crack at a repair on a structural coloumn on my back porch. It has been underpinned before, but the foundations are still moving... I was thinking perhaps to pull it back into line with a ratchet strap or chain puller and then drill down from the top and pin the concrete floor to the top of the coloumn with dynabolts or a section of reo. I have some photo's to show what Im talking about. The post has moved a half inch or so at the top. Perhaps it is just a case of patch it up and paint... Anyway, perhaps the combined wisdom could point me in a better direction with it.
Cheers,

Stork


8786387864

[mark53]

G'day Stork, is it possible to take some of the weight (not much) of the collumn with a couple of 12 tonne jacks and ac row props with a 100x100 timber (don't use steel) tom, or bigger, to distribute the weight? The degree of difficulty is about 9.5 if you are doing it yourself. I know it sounds radical but it can be done. Alternatively you could let sleeping dogs lay and just pin and patch it.

[stork955]

Gday Mark, yes, both are possible, there is a good concrete surface underneath to jack from. The more I think about though, the more I think that trying to move it will result in it cracking and looking worse. I reckon pinning and patching is the answer. There are 2 other posts in this row and neither of them are directly under the floor above either... Thanks for your reply,

Cheers,
Stork

[Bloss]

You have to fix the problem not the result. You say the 'foundations are still moving' even though they have been 'underpinned'. This tells me that the problem is still at ground level and if you attempt to fix the pillar to the beam/slab above than the forces causing the cracking will simply cause cracking further up or in closer to the wall.

It seems unsightly rather than being likely to cause a major structural problem so if you do not want to do major work to stop the foundations moving then just repair with a good flexible filler and paint.

[stork955]

Thanks Bloss, you are right... I do have to do some drainage work near the base of this post so while the concrete path is up it might be the ideal time to get this sorted for once and all rather than doing something I'll probably have to redo later on.

Cheers,

Stork