Can you build a house on clay soil?

Can you build a house on clay soil?

It’s a heavy soil that expands a lot as it absorbs moisture and shrinks a lot as it dries out. Because of this, clay soil is not good for construction.

Which is best suited foundation for expansive soils?

Strip footing is suitable when the soil, through expansive, little swelling pressure. When the soil swells, the sand grains would yield by moving up, thus reliving the swelling pressure. These type of foundations are mostly used for medium loads.

What is shrinkable clay soil?

Soils that shrink on drying (and swell on re-wetting) are shrinkable. Several kinds of clay are shrinkable.

Is clay soil bad for house foundations?

Soils rich in clay and silt have the greatest potential to damage a foundation. Clay absorbs water easily, expanding in volume as it becomes more saturated. So-called “expansive clays” can cause foundations to crack, heave and shift. Clay-rich soils can cause more foundation damage by expanding than by contracting.

Can you build a foundation on clay?

Clay is sensitive to moisture, which means it will expand and contract with the weather. This will then affect the foundation. You’ll end up with a shifting foundation, cracks, leaks and warped walls. These fissures allow in more water, which exacerbates the expansion and can damage foundations.

Which foundation is best for clay soil?

Usually clay has a higher moisture content and when the moisture content becomes stable upto certain depth it becomes suitable for the substructure. Raft foundation is preferred when the clayey soil is compact and hard. Even strap foundation can also be used. Soft clayey sand is prone to expansion and shrinkage.

Is clay an expansive soil?

Expansive soil is a soil/clay (such as montmorillonite or bentonite) that is prone to expansion or shrinkage due directly to variation in water volume. Expansive soils swell when exposed to large amounts of water and shrink when the water evaporates.

Is Weald Clay shrinkable?

Clay types that have a high shrinkage potential and are associated with damage to buildings are the London Clay, Gault Clay, Weald Clay and Lias Clay. This list is not exhaustive and there are other clays which have more limited shrink-swell characteristics.

Is loamy soil shrinkable?

Subsidence risk factors Older properties are most at risk of subsidence. This is because the type of land a property is built on is very significant. Clay and loamy soil (a mixture of sand, clay and water) are most vulnerable to moving and causing subsidence.

Which kind of clay is unsuitable for building foundations?

Clay Soils Soils rich in clay and silt have the greatest potential to damage a foundation. Clay absorbs water easily, expanding in volume as it becomes more saturated. So-called “expansive clays” can cause foundations to crack, heave and shift.