Construction under Adverse Soil Conditions
In this course we will learn about Construction under Adverse Soil Conditions.
In building construction, the soil conditions play an important role in its stability. Every building consists of basically two components a) The superstructure and b) The substructure. The superstructure is the component which is above ground level and the substructure is the component which is below ground. The total load of the structure is transferred to the ground through the substructure.
Since a huge load is transferred to the ground, the soil that is going to bear this load should be able to sustain this load, i.e. it should bear this load. This capacity of the soil to sustain this load is the SOIL BEARING CAPACITY or SBC. The SBC of the soil should always be greater or equal to the load being transferred by the structure.
If the soil bearing capacity is less then there will be a settlement in the structure. This settlement will be uneven, due to which cracks may develop in the building. At times the building may collapse. Thus the soil bearing capacity plays an important role in the stability of the building.
The foundation plays an important role. The loads are transferred through the foundation. Since the foundation is below ground level the damages occurring over the period cannot be seen. A foundation should be strong enough to prevent the settlement. It should be designed taking into consideration of the soil bearing capacity.
Unequal settlement may be caused due to:
Weak sub-soils.
Shrinkable and expansive soils.
Movement of groundwater.
Excessive vibrations in the vicinity.
Slow consolidation of saturated clays etc.
Therefore, it is very essential to know the soil conditions before designing the structure. For this purpose, soil investigation is an essential process to be followed.
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