Most building codes (like the IRC) require a concrete or masonry footing under a concrete or masonry foundation wall. If it supports a 2 story building on a minimum of 2,000 psf soil the footing would have to be at least 12" wide. Unless you pour the wall that thick you would need a footing. The minimum width is 16" if the house has a brick veneer cavity wall or greater if the soil capacity is less or there is a third floor or occupied attic.

But the codes also allow wood or precast concrete foundation systems to be placed on "gravel fill used as footings".

So it is not a matter of choosing the footing but a matter of choosing the foundation system.

I have a 6 year old home with Superior Walls foundation. I am having leaks for the past one year in all corners of the house. Last weekend my basement got flooded after a heavy rain because of these leaks. I don't think walls are 10'' thick with insulation. I checked their web site and it comes to less than 4'' in total. I bought this home 2 years back (with finished basement) and I was told foundation was "poured concrete" by previous owners and inspection guy. Looks like actual builder told the previous owners the same thing.
I did not even know what different foundations mean that time but I do not think its worth. I was told that I have 15 year warranty on foundation from Superior Walls and a guy is coming next week to check leaks. I hope they cover it.

shreeshiri, so sorry you're having a problem with your Superior Wall basement. I'm still struggling with the decision and really appreciate you sharing your experience. Would you please post after your meeting with SW? I do hope they honor their warranty and have a fix for your problem.

Crushed rock footings transfer the load out differently than concrete footings. Take Superior Walls for an example. If you have 8 inches of crushed rock footing/drainage bed under the 10" bottom plate of the wall, the crushed rock transfers the load out at a 45 degree angle from the edge of the footing plate, so you pick up a much larger bearing capacity with crushed rock. (provided that it is contained.((cant run or leak out anywhere)) You get the 10 inches directly below the bottom plate of the wall and an additional 16 inches outside the wall at the bottom of the crushed rock, for an equivalent bearing area of 26 inches at the soil line.

Crushed rock, and pea rock, soil classification is non compressive soil. (again, as long as it is contained)

Crushed rock foooting are nothing new with Superior Walls, and are the mainstay of a AWWF foundation. (wood foundation)

I am not disputing that you have a leakage problem with your Superior Walls, but, it would be my guess that there is something else causing the leakage to occur, such as improper drainage at the surface level, improper management of bulk water (rain gutters) improper backfill materials, foundation drain to daylight not working, or a sump that can not keep up, or something of the likes. Properly installed, AWWF and PreCast foundations are some of the driest available, because of their mandated use of crushed rock in both the footings and subslab drainage areas.

I believe the accepted angle of effective load transfer from a wood plate through a gravel footing is 30 degrees from the vertical.

Here is a link that might be useful: wood foundation detailing

I have the superior walls foundation for my home that is 3500 square foot heated, 4600 feet under roof, and have not had any signs of settling whatsoever. My reason for using them was to elevate the house since we were near a river, and we just had a recent one of the worst floods ever from this river where there was 7' of water in our basement and garage, and the walls held up beautifully. I would not worry about the stone foundation as long as the soil is adequate. May want to get a soil engineering study done though.......

Just for reference, the garage door is 18' long X 8' high to give you the size of the house.