Minn. R. agency 151, ch. 1303, pt. 1303.1600
In the absence of a determination by an engineer competent in soil mechanics, the minimum allowable footing depth in feet due to freezing is five feet in Zone I and 3-1/2 feet in Zone II.
Zone I includes the counties of: Aitkin, Becker, Beltrami, Carlton, Cass, Clay, Clearwater, Cook, Crow Wing, Douglas, Grant, Hubbard, Itasca, Kanabec, Kittson, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Pine, Polk, Red Lake, Roseau, St. Louis, Todd, Traverse, Wadena, and Wilkin.
Zone II shall include the counties of: Anoka, Benton, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Chippewa, Chisago, Cottonwood, Dakota, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Isanti, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, McLeod, Martin, Meeker, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Olmsted, Pipestone, Pope, Ramsey, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock, Scott, Sibley, Sherburne, Stearns, Steele, Stevens, Swift, Wabasha, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Winona, Wright, and Yellow Medicine.
Less depths may be permitted when supporting evidence is presented by an engineer competent in soil mechanics.
When soil, natural or fill, is sand or pit run sand and gravel, and of depth in accordance with minimum footing depth requirements for each zone, slab on grade construction which is structurally designed to support all applied loads is permitted. Sand must contain less than 70 percent material that will pass through a U.S. Standard No. 40 sieve and less than five percent material that will pass through a No. 200 sieve (five percent fines), or be approved by an engineer competent in soil mechanics.
Exception: Slab on grade construction may be placed on any soil except peat or muck for detached one-story private garage, carport, and shed buildings not larger than 3,000 square feet.
Footings for interior bearing walls or columns may be constructed to be integral with the slab on grade for any height building. Footings for exterior bearing walls or columns may be similarly constructed for any height building when supporting soil is as described in this subpart. Footing design must reflect eccentric loading conditions at slab edges, soil bearing capacity, and the requirements of International Building Code, chapter 19.
Minn. R. agency 151, ch. 1303, pt. 1303.1600
Statutory Authority: MS s 16B.59; 16B.61; 16B.64; 326B.101; 326B.106; 326B.13