How the Soil Beneath Your Building Can Affect Its Stability

Do you sometimes feel as if you are walking down a slope when you cross the conference room at work? Perhaps you find it difficult to open a window to let in a fresh breeze as it will stick in place. These may be symptoms of subsidence and could show that the soil underneath the property has shifted. While progress may be subtle, it's a significant issue and you need to find out what's wrong. If you're not aware of the soil composition beneath the building, this is where you should start.

Effects of Storm and Drought

Subsidence is not an unusual occurrence in Australia during the rainy season. Water can often penetrate the ground beneath the building and can interact with the soil present to change its consistency. Before you know it, the building sags, and you need to act.

Clay

If you have clay underneath the building, it can swell or shrink according to the level of moisture present. It gets very soft when it is wet and can crack during drought.

If you've noticed problems following a prolonged wet spell, it is possible that the clay has become over-saturated, and as it does so, it becomes weaker. It cannot support the building on top of it and this will cause settlement. When it dries out it will lose its mass, and this may contribute to additional sinking. Here, you may have to order an injection of resin to strengthen the ground and provide you with a level foundation.

Sand and Silt

If they build your property on silt or sand, then you must be very careful to avoid over-saturation. Make sure that water channels divert away from the foundation as a significant rainstorm could wash away many of the finer grains within the soil. Once again, this may call for resin injection or an alternative solution that can bind the soil particles together well.

Aggregate Fill

Often, a mixture of aggregate, rock and other waste were laid on top of a base of soil when preparing a building site. This can provide an acceptable foundation, but it depends on the level of compaction. Poor preparation can lead to inconsistencies across the site.

Strengthening and Underpinning

Once you have determined the soil characteristics, you can introduce various strengthening measures to solidify the base. You can also call in underpinning services to help restore the building to its original position.