Photos have been a part of foundation reports since the beginning. This is because using site photography in foundation inspections helps create a clearer picture of the situation. But there needs to be a method for how these photographs are taken and documented in order for them to be their most helpful and effective. 

Clearing Up Confusion with Better Methods

I remember reading many reports with hundreds of photos, along with a description of the photo location, such as: east kitchen wall, etc. In viewing all the photos and reading their descriptions, I found it really difficult to find any useful meaning or comprehensive understanding of the home’s condition just from this type of information. If anything, they all start to run together creating more confusion. This perhaps is the reason that many engineers have felt it better to visit the site in order to build a better model in their mind of how it all fits together. However, there is a better way to get that holistic understanding when using site photography in foundation inspections. 

For Site Photography in Foundation Inspections to Be Useful, Numbers Must Correspond

To clear up the confusion these types of documenting photos were causing, we eventually numbered our photos to match the numbering on the floor plan. We included a small indicator showing which way the photographer was standing as the picture was taken. This is beneficial in two ways.

1. It’s easy to look over the floor plan with all the damages indicated on it and then quickly refer to pictures of those damages. Thus helping to characterize the damages at certain locations. 
2. You can sift through all the pictures and when one jumps out that you want to locate, you can easily find it on the floor plan. This allows you to then see other damages nearby and their associated pictures. 

Below is a simple example of using corresponding numbers in your site photography in foundation inspections. The picture numbers are in blue. The damage symbols are the color lines and icons.

Photos Allow for Proper Characterization of Damage

Damage maps alone are not enough. I discussed how these function as part of the whole in my last blog, which you can read here. 

Even when the symbols on the damage maps show cracks larger than 1/8” (we used a lightning bolt icon) they don’t reveal the whole picture. Often, really egregious signs of stress cannot be characterized with just a symbol on a damage map. I recall many times seeing a damage map  without any alarming features, but after viewing the photo I realized that there were serious problems. This is why using site photography in foundation inspections is part of the holistic approach I recommend. The clearest picture comes from employing many avenues of analysis and studying them to fully understand the extent of damage and what is causing it. 

Identifying Damage by Using Site Photography in Foundation Inspections

Clear labeling of the photos used helps avoid confusion. For example, it helps to use arrows on the photos to draw the eye to the particular issues being displayed. This is so that those not well versed can easily see the point right away.

 See below for an example.

Though sometimes, even with a well numbered photo map, it can be hard to locate a particular number when there are hundreds of photos to be viewed. Having a methodology for how the photos used in site photography in foundation inspections are taken helps too.

 We discovered that this task becomes much easier if there is an established order to how the photos are taken. This must be done every time as a standard. For example, we would always start on the outside going left to right in front of the home or structure. In the back, we would start at the far left and work our way right. Then, on the inside, we would work our way clockwise. By doing this we made scanning and finding the numbers used on the photo plan much easier. 

Make Use of Automation for an Easier Process

There are tools you can use that make this process much easier when employing site photography in foundation inspections. One of the tools we discovered was a great software called ArcSite. This software simplifies this process and we were able to incorporate it into our software.  

It can be time consuming to renumber hundreds of images, both on the photo map and the photos themselves, to make sure they are consistent. ArcSite set up a system that allows users to take a photo while remembering where the photographer was standing and which way they were facing. This then automatically places this information on the photo plan and numbers them to match the picture number. A huge time saver.

Using Site Photography in Foundation Inspections Requires Standardization for Consistency

Many times the distance from the signs of stress as the photo is taken can exaggerate or minimize how severe the crack looks in the resulting photo. We found it helpful to take photos standing a standard three feet away. If that does not characterize it well enough, a second photo can be taken at a closer distance. Then it should be identified as a closeup of the same photo. Closeups are better taken with a crack gauge or by using something like a pencil in the image to help give it scale.

Comparison of Damage Over Time Matters Too

Comparing signs of stress over time, picture by picture, can be helpful. This allows users to see if the extent of the damage has changed over time or not. Sometimes seasonal differences can be observed, such as cracks opening or closing with rainy or dry seasons. These photos can be taken in those seasons and clearly identified as such.

Critical Items Should Be Verified

Often, when using site photography in foundation inspections photos are used to verify that a particular item was indeed characterized correctly. This is great for engineers who rely on trained field techs to gather the information. This is because a licensed engineer must rely on their data to make engineering judgements. For example, if the house is reported to have trusses, or alternatively, joists and rafters. If some doubt comes up about a claim, a photo showing the plates on the trusses, or lack thereof, makes it easy to confirm. 

See below for an example.

Another example of this would be confirming that a front porch was placed monolithically with a post tensioned foundation. Was it really? A good closeup photo will show if it has an expansion joint or not. 

In the example below, you can readily see that the porch was poured monolithically.

In this example, visible expansion joints would be conclusive evidence of the porch not being monolithically poured with the foundation. This can apply to many similar things, such as readings on rebar locators, or soil probes to discover spread footings, etc.

If the engineer is going to rely on site technicians, photos help them have a sense of the site conditions and critical items. This helps increase confidence in observations, conclusions and recommendations. 

As you can see, not only is using site photography in foundation inspections extremely helpful, it creates a clear picture of the situation. It’s just one of the many aspects of the holistic approach I prefer. Of course, having a methodology to the process and implementing useful tools make a big difference as well.

You can read more about all aspects of foundation inspections and repair in my blog.