What is the best type of soil for construction?

Types of soil in civil construction

Knowing the type of soil where a work will be erected is extremely important for construction, since it is decisive for foundations, structures, and building types. And, as you already know, the foundation is what will support the entire structure and, therefore, must be well planned and executed to avoid large troubles.

If you are in the construction business, you know that I am talking about a very important subject, which is the basis of any construction, but if you want to know the importance of good soil analysis and how it influences the entire execution process of the work, continue reading this article that I prepared to exhaust the topic of soils in civil construction!

As well as several issues that must be treated carefully when planning a project, understanding soil types is one of the first issues to be analyzed by architects and engineers, since from then on, it is possible to understand how the surface will behave when it receives pressure on it.

When a construction is planned, the first step is to choose a terrain and it is it that will determine the characteristics of the project, such as elevation and location, in addition to providing all the support for the building.

It is very common to perform soil analysis only when it comes to larger buildings, but it is recommended that it be done on every construction site to avoid accidents and unwanted events!

Based on the information you brought here alone, you can see the importance of understanding soil types and their relationship with civil construction, right? And that's what we're going to talk about in the next few topics! Shall we go?

What is soil?

First of all, let's explain What is soil.

Soil is nothing more than the disaggregated part that is on the surface of a given relief, that is, particles (minerals and organic) are deposited in layers due to the action of rain, wind, heat, cold and organisms (fungi, bacteria, earthworms, ants and termites) that slowly wear away rocks on the land. Therefore, the soil is composed of organic and inorganic sediments and is subject to transformations all the time due to the weather.

Thus, the soil, in addition to being the basis for the environment, also plays a fundamental role in civil construction, which is what we are seeing today in this article.

What is the importance of soil study for a project?

Well, as I said before, the study of the soil for a project is very important, since it is it that will provide all the support for the building and, thus, analyzing its characteristics is essential to determine how the foundation should be built so that future problems do not occur. Remember that foundations are responsible for providing security for the entire structure of the work and any error can compromise it, often irreversibly. Therefore, a good soil analysis is one of the initial steps before starting to Foundation execution. After studying the soil, you will have more information about where your work will be erected, which facilitates the entire execution process.

Thus, a particular type of soil can facilitate or limit the use of the land, since each type of soil has particular characteristics and requires different forms of foundation execution. Therefore, if land is a limiter of land use, if not studied and well worked, it can cause great inconvenience for engineers, since it is the land that determines the relevant characteristics of the project.

It is very common to carry out, in larger buildings, a survey of the terrain to find out which layer is more resistant to erect the foundations of the building, while in smaller buildings this is not done, although in any situation it is relevant.

What are the types of soil used in civil construction?

Let's present the main ones Types of soil important for civil construction. They are: sandy, clayey and silty. However, it must be understood that this classification may not be totally accurate, since it is very common for them to mix in countless ways. Thus, it is not entirely true if we say that sandy soil is composed only of sand or that clay consists only of clay. So, despite the classic division of soils, it's important to consider this caveat, okay?

Thus, we have to divide soils according to the density of their composition, the special needs they have for construction, and how they behave when a certain pressure is applied to it. Therefore, the factors relevant to soil composition are: density, porosity, consistency, and the relationship between soil and water.

According to the classification, we have the following types of soil:

Sandy

Sandy soil is composed mainly of sand and does not have a high cohesion index, which makes it very permeable and vulnerable to movement, making it a major challenge for civil construction. To build works on this type of soil, deep foundations with steel or reinforced concrete piles are necessary to ensure safety for the structure.

However, this type of soil offers advantages on roads, as it does not become a mud during the rainy season and does not raise dust during dry periods.

Clay

Clay soil is the most common type in Brazil and is of significant importance, as it is used to manufacture bricks, tiles, tiles and ceramic floors. In the past, it was even used as mortar for the construction of earthen buildings.

Thus, we have that clay soil is the opposite of sandy soil, with a large capacity of agglutination, which can become mud very easily. In addition, because they have microscopic grains, they are easy to be molded by water, have difficulty disaggregating and form plastic and viscous clay when wet.

When building a work on clay soil, it is highly recommended to carry out a soil study to find out exactly which foundation to use. However, shallow foundations are the most used in these types of soil.

Siltoso

Silty soil is considered a poor type of soil, being an intermediate between sandy and clay. Like clay, it has microscopic grains, but not with the same degree of cohesion. When wet, it also doesn't have the same plasticity that clay soil offers. It is not a good soil for construction and requires deep foundations. An example of silty soil are roads that form large quagmire during rainy seasons and a lot of dust during dry periods. Another characteristic of silty soil is the great possibility of being a victim of erosion and natural disaggregation. It is a type of soil that requires much more care and maintenance.‍

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What is the best soil for civil construction?

Because clay soil contains particles that bond together very easily, with great cohesion capacity, it is the safest soil for civil construction.

What are the main problems related to soils?

Several and the most varied types of problems can affect a building due to lack of soil study. One of them is a problem in the foundation, which can seriously impact the entire structure of the building. The crooked buildings on the Santos-SP waterfront are examples of foundation failures, as they were not built with the necessary depth, probably because they did not consider the characteristic of the sandy soil of the place and, thus, they leaned, which could cause very serious accidents.

What are the soil analyses that must be performed?

As we have already said, soil analysis is essential before starting the execution of the foundation of a work. Thus, based on analyses, it is possible to know the characteristics of the soil, such as quality and capacity to serve as support and, therefore, every work must carry out this process. Ignoring this step could cause disasters.

Among the soil analyses that must be performed, we can mention: density test, moisture content, compaction test, liquidity limit, plasticity limit, degree of saturation, porosity, real density, apparent density and particle size analysis.

Therefore, characterizing the soil before construction is essential, as it avoids disasters, expenses, and involvement in legal matters.

Conclusion

I hope this article has convinced you to always carry out a soil study before starting the foundations of the work! We show how important soil characterization is to avoid structural problems and disasters. In addition, another fundamental step during the execution of the foundations is the waterproofing. A Blok It has several products that guarantee the best results for your works. Take a look at our site to learn about the solutions we have for your projects!

What are the types of soil in civil construction?