Before building a new building, it’s necessary to analyze the soil to make sure it can support the weight of the structure. In some cases, the soil won’t provide proper compaction on its own and will need to be supplemented with other materials, such as lime or cement, in a process known as ground stabilization.
Our team at Seawall Kings has extensive experience in ground stabilization, and we know how to accurately determine whether your property requires this service. In this article, we’ll go over a few ways to tell if you need ground stabilization services.
- Location – One way to determine whether you need ground stabilization services for your property is to look at its location. Waterfront properties often have looser soil, especially by the shoreline, and will require stabilization. Our team has extensive experience in dealing with and preventing water erosion, and you can count on us to provide the stability you are looking for.
- Core Sampling – Another way to tell if your property requires ground stabilization is to have the soil tested using core sampling. This process involves removing a long cylinder (or core) of soil and examining it to see how the composition and density change as you get deeper. If the soil is firm and compact all the way down, then stabilization is probably not necessary, but if it’s loose in places, then stabilization is required.
- Compaction Testing – A third way to determine if you need ground stabilization is to have a compaction test performed. These tests are conducted on excavated fields of exposed soil, and they consist of a heavy (20-ton) truck driving over the soil in a grid pattern. As the truck drives, testers will observe how much the weight is causing the soil to sink over a certain distance—if it’s less than ¼” over 10 feet, then stabilization is not required.