High groundwater levels
The main natural factor that can be detrimental to a site is
a high groundwater level. You can ask neighbors who have already built their
own homes. If none exist, you can dig a hole, called a pit, one meter by one
meter and two to three meters deep in the area where you plan to build a
basement or cesspool. This will ensure your efforts aren't wasted, and then
cover the pit to protect it from rain. It's advisable to measure the water
level in the fall. If the liquid only covers the bottom of the pit, the
groundwater level is low; if it fills more than half, the groundwater level is
high.
Determining the Soil
Composition
To determine the soil type on the site, take a handful of
soil, lightly moisten it, roll it into a sausage shape, and try to form a ring
by joining the ends. If the ring forms without breaks, the soil is clayey; if
there are minor breaks, it is loamy; if the ring doesn't form, it is sandy
loam; and sandy soil won't even form a sausage shape. Once the aquifer level
and soil composition, the building's weight, and the presence of a basement
have been determined, you can begin choosing a foundation. The most unfavorable
conditions are high groundwater levels and clayey soils, as clay is impermeable
to moisture and expands when frozen, which can lead not only to bulging of the
foundation but also to horizontal displacement. Currently, so-called screw pile
foundations have appeared on the market; these are not sensitive to soil
composition, as long as the pile base is long enough to rest on a solid
surface.
If the site has a slope, groundwater drainage can be carried
out away from the construction site. These measures require heavy equipment and
are quite expensive.
Screw Pile
Installation
Screw piles emerged many decades ago, and initially, they
were used solely to strengthen the base frame of a house standing on unstable
ground. But now, as people no longer take nature's challenges seriously, pile
foundations have come to be used both where technologically necessary, on
unstable soils, and where the ground is strong enough to strengthen the house's
support. They have their advantages. Although they are difficult to use and
take a long time to drive into the ground, the resulting structure is extremely
strong and durable, and no changes in groundwater can affect the stability of
the entire structure. They are firmly screwed into the ground to a considerable
depth. The process of driving screw piles takes a very long time, but the end
result is a very strong and reliable foundation that will last much longer than
concrete structures, which are often used in buildings of any scale. The
lifespan of a building depends on high-quality installation, and piles
significantly strengthen it, making it more durable.
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