What exactly is expansive soil?

Is your foundation shifting, sinking, or capsize-full-titanic into incompetent, non-load-bearing soil? If so, you should consider having it repaired. I have no idea why. This article is for you if you want to gain an understanding of how expansive soil is the primary cause of foundation settlement and homes that are not level.

This piece discusses what expansive soil is, how it can cause foundation settlement and the most effective ways to deal with foundation settlement. You will have a general understanding of the primary signs and symptoms of settlement brought on by expansive soil by the time you finish reading this article.

What exactly does expansive soil entail?
So, tell me, what exactly does “expansive soil” mean? Clay, silt, loam, and any other type of soil that is especially prone to expansion or shrinkage in direct correlation with the water table are examples of expansive soils. Expansive soils can also be shrinking soils. In a nutshell, expansive soils will swell up when there is water present but will contract as the water is lost.

Soils that are expansive go through a seasonal and cyclical pattern, growing more expansive during the winter months and becoming drier during the summer months. Because expansive soils are predominantly composed of minerals (extremely minute particles) and contain very little to almost no organic matter, they are notoriously difficult to drain.

The states of California and Arizona are currently going through one of the worst droughts in recorded history, which has resulted in an extraordinary amount of land settlement because the baseline water level is continuing to drop to lower and lower levels. This is one of the reasons why we have experienced so much settlement rather than heaving over the course of the past few years.

The following is a list of expansive soils:

Smectite
Bentonite
Montmorillonite
Beidellite
Vermiculite
Attapulgite
Nontronite
Chlorite

Every state has expansive soils, but some states, like California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, and others in the southwest have more of them than others.

What Role Does Expansive Soil Play in the Settling of Foundations?

A weak, incompetent, and non-load-bearing soil is known as expansive soil. This type of soil has difficulty supporting the heavy load of a home that is built above grade (the ground), which causes the home to sink into the ground. We might be in luck if the soil could fortify or compact itself, but unfortunately, the soil cannot do either of those things on its own.

The following are some of the more common methods used to address foundation settlement:

The process of pumping slurry beneath your foundation is known as mudjacking.
The support of your foundation through the use of piers made of concrete or steel is referred to as underpinning.
Injection of Polyurethane – Use polyurethane foam to support and/or fill voids beneath your foundation using this technique.
A combination of push piers, helical piers, and polyurethane

The current favorite method utilized by the industry for preventing foundation settlement is called steel pier underpinning.

Push piers and/or helical piers are used in steel pier underpinning. These are steel pipes that are hydraulically driven into competent, load-bearing soil and then anchored to a foundation’s footing using a remedial bracket in order to secure, stabilize, and/or lift the structure. Steel pier underpinning is also known as helical piers.

Underpinning with steel piers is fantastic because it is able to avoid the weak soil by penetrating it directly and lodging itself into the bedrock below.

In terms that are more understandable to the average person, push pier and helical pier systems are analogous to underground stilt-support systems and frequently make it possible for the house to be lifted to the highest level of practical recovery.

RLM Retrofit Foundation can provide you with Foundation Inspection Bell Canyon and repair services for your foundation. You can contact them at (800) 824-6699 for more information.

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