How to raise this lump of reinforced concrete?

[elise2000]

Hi All

I have this large lump (165x95x30) of reinforced concrete in my garden. guessing it weights at least 1200kg:


Breaking up would be difficult/expensive, so I'm thinking of raising 1 or 2 corners to make it level then at least it can be vaguley useful to put some plants on etc.

So I'm wondering if putting a car jack under one corner to lift it then putting blocks under to keep in place would work?



Thoughts/advice/better ideas welcome!

Thanks

Edited by elise2000 on Wednesday 15th April 16:57

Edited by elise2000 on Wednesday 15th April 16:58

[Lotobear]

Give me a lever long enough and I can move the world

[elise2000]

Lotobear said:

Give me a lever long enough and I can move the world

Great, are you available tomorrow?!

[_Rodders_]

Squirt some expanding foam under the lowest corner. Seems to work on the internet.

[elise2000]

_Rodders_ said:

Squirt some expanding foam under the lowest corner. Seems to work on the internet.

Ha!

[Lotobear]

elise2000 said:

Lotobear said:

Give me a lever long enough and I can move the world

Great, are you available tomorrow?!

....I'll see if I can speak with archimedes

[Crossbill]

How about an engine crane and some lifting strops?

[elise2000]

[quote=Crossbill ]How about an engine crane and some lifting strops?[/

Could work, but don’t think I know anyone who’s got one. Will have a think

[Fatboy]

How high do you need to lift it- a wrecking bar as a lever will let you raise it in 50mm or so increments, prop it out with timber as you go, then put blocks under at the final height...
Or a 2m length of fence post or 2x4 will be able to lever it up...

[timberman]

I got one of these
https://www.toolstation.com/roughneck-digging-bar/...

and found it very handy for removing some large tree stumps
not sure how much it would lift without bending but I haven't managed it yet

[elise2000]

Fatboy said:

How high do you need to lift it- a wrecking bar as a lever will let you raise it in 50mm or so increments, prop it out with timber as you go, then put blocks under at the final height...
Or a 2m length of fence post or 2x4 will be able to lever it up...

Not much, maybe 20-30cm. But it’s likely 1200kg- could one person lever it even that much?

[elise2000]

timberman said:

I got one of these
https://www.toolstation.com/roughneck-digging-bar/...

and found it very handy for removing some large tree stumps
not sure how much it would lift without bending but I haven't managed it yet

Hmm. Well I could get something similar and see. If no good would likely be useful for something else in the future!

[Panamax]

elise2000 said:

Not much, maybe 20-30cm. But it s likely 1200kg- could one person lever it even that much?

Yes, the power of levers is quite extraordinary. You just have to be very, very careful not to get feet or fingers under it before it's propped.
You also need to get the fulcrum very well supported.

[elise2000]

Panamax said:

elise2000 said:

Not much, maybe 20-30cm. But it s likely 1200kg- could one person lever it even that much?

Yes, the power of levers is quite extraordinary. You just have to be very, very careful not to get feet or fingers under it before it's propped.
You also need to get the fulcrum very well supported.

Thanks

[sherman]

elise2000 said:

Crossbill said:

How about an engine crane and some lifting strops?
[/

Could work, but don t think I know anyone who s got one. Will have a think

You can easily hire an engine hoist

[dxg]

elise2000 said:

_Rodders_ said:

Squirt some expanding foam under the lowest corner. Seems to work on the internet.

Ha!

People do this in the States when their concrete driveways fail. Fair enough, it might not be your typical spray foam, but expanding foam is powerful enough to raise a concrete slab. Maybe there's a way of doing that.

[timberman]

elise2000 said:

Fatboy said:

How high do you need to lift it- a wrecking bar as a lever will let you raise it in 50mm or so increments, prop it out with timber as you go, then put blocks under at the final height...
Or a 2m length of fence post or 2x4 will be able to lever it up...

Not much, maybe 20-30cm. But it s likely 1200kg- could one person lever it even that much?

The digging bar I linked to above was used to lever out a tree stump approx 3 feet across
I just dug around and underneath one side then jammed the bar in the hole, pushed a lump of wood under to stop it sinking into the ground and me and the wife swung on the end,
the stump came up including some roots we'd missed and left a big crater,
I then spent ages cutting it into more manageable bits so we could get rid of it

[Simpo Two]

There has to be some cunning way to split it into chunks.

Like chiselling a groove, hammering in a wooden wedge then soaking it. As the wood expands it crack the rock. Well it does in films anyway.

Or hire one of those 12" angle grinders, because frankly it will still look ugly level.

[Sporky]

Make a wooden box over it and put the things on that.

[IJWS15]

Many years ago I broke up a garage floor with my father, it was about 20ft by 30ft and up to 6” thick but in the wrong place for his new garage. This was very pre SDS.
Lifting one edge with a long 2*4 (old garage rafter) meant it was easily broken into chunks with a sledge hammer - concrete is weak when you put it into tension.

Lifting that is child’s play, getting it to stay lifted will mean more concrete under it and supporting it until the new concrete sets. May be easier just to add some more concrete on top of it