Clay soils

• Clay soil is something you will find supporting the foundations of homes and commercial buildings in different areas. In Texas this is especially true as
most of the soil found is clay. Clay soil is unique and we will know its challenges, how to handle these challenges, and which foundations are going to
work best.

• Clay soils are characteristically compressible, which is to say that they settle down according to the load applied. This type of soil’s water content is also
much higher than any other type of soil. It is therefore highly subject to climatic variations, such as drought or heavy rains.
• As a result, foundations can experience frequent movement. The swelling (especially montmorillonite-group clay minerals) of the soil can eventually
weaken the foundation. Most often, we will notice more or less prominent cracks appear in the foundation , shears on the outer
• coating and deformations in the structural elements, such as beams. In the most serious cases, that is to say, in the case where the foundation is not
adequate, the entire structure could be weakened.

• The good news is there are solutions that can help reduce any possible damage it does to the foundation and homes. Because clay soil is sensitive to
moisture, taking steps to prevent moisture from invading the soil is helpful.

• How can this be done? Creating a design that will decrease moisture access and insulate the soil is a good idea. If a new home or building are
constructed , many steps can be taken to maintain constant moisture after construction. A foundation specialist can help with these solutions.
Swelling soils may cause considerable damages of buildings, roads etc

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