How different soils may affect the foundation

The foundation plays a crucial role in building construction. This provides a stable platform for the weight loads produced by the building and the contents that every apartment will carry. As a rule, foundations are made of concrete. This is the most common foundation material that is being widely used for the construction of relatively small constructions and private residences.

Before starting the construction process, architectures should also mind the choice of soils for every building. The way different soils affect foundations also varies. Let’s consider in what ways different soils may affect foundations.

• Clay can be called the perfect choice for the construction of a concrete foundation. When wet, it takes on significant amounts of water and expands. As a result, when expanded clay comes into contact with a foundation, it can generate pressures that make the concrete to shift upward or downward.
• Peat soil forms when organic matter decomposes in a constantly damp environment. This type of soils appears near swamps and other wetland areas. When a concrete foundation is built on peat soils, it is susceptible to the same long-term cracking risks as the foundations built on clay soils.
• Sandy soils do not take on water clay and peat soils do. A foundation constructed on sandy soils has less risk of cracking as a result of fluctuating water content in the surrounding ground. The major issue with sandy soils is that sand can gradually wash away, thus forming destabilizing voids beneath the concrete. To prevent this from happening, sand is compacted together with gravel or other materials that are prone to washing away.

If some soil requires stabilization, it can be achieved with proper actions and means, which can also be found at Texas Erosion Supply.