subject: Preventing Soil Settlement [print this page] If there is one thing common in all the countries in the world, it would be the presence of soil. The soil that we have around us can be considered as the foremost foundation of any structure. Aside from this, it is the soil that supports plat life which we oftentimes use as food.
There are times however, when due to the application of constant pressure, soil becomes consolidated or settled. This means that the molecules of the soil become too compact that water or any kind of moisture cannot penetrate. Since the soil and its surrounding concrete foundations become too dry, cracks will start to appear which could compromise the integrity of the structure. It should be noted, however, that soil settlement is not a bad thing as a properly compacted soil can provide the best support for a structure.
Fortunately, there are a number of ways by which you can prevent soil settlement, foremost of which is the reduction of unnecessary travels over the affected area. Make sure that you reduce your trips by carefully managing your time and your activities.
Another way of preventing soil settlement is to till the soil thoroughly at different levels during dry seasons. This allows the soil to become loose and be more willing to absorb water. However, do not do this during wet season as tilling wet soil around could lead to even more soil settlement in the future. When doing soil tilling, you might want to plant also different types of grass on a sloping manner to create a path for the water to flow through.
Lastly, make sure that, when you have your house constructed, you keep away from clay type of soil. Clay is not considered as one of the soil types that can be depended upon to support structures efficiently. Always remember that clay, when exposed to water, has a tendency to expand and collapse which could lead to soil settlement. This, in turn, would mean cracks and damages to your structure.
If you think that you might have soil settlement problems, it is best that you get in touch with a specialist especially if the damage is already extensive.
