What soil properties are essential for building design?

Soil is the foundation of any building project, and its properties can affect the stability, durability, and performance of the structure. As a civil engineer, you need to understand how different soil types behave under various loads, environmental conditions, and engineering interventions. In this article, you will learn about some of the essential soil properties for building design, and how they can be measured, classified, and improved.

1 Soil Classification

Soil classification is a way of grouping soils based on their physical and chemical characteristics, such as grain size, shape, mineralogy, plasticity, and organic content. Soil classification helps engineers to estimate the engineering properties of soils, such as strength, compressibility, permeability, and shrink-swell potential. There are several soil classification systems in use, such as the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS), the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) system, and the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) system.

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Kehinde Omotayo (R.Eng) I Msc l MNSE I MEng I A.M.ASCE I GT FocusScholarX2

PhD student in Engineering and computational sciences | Research & Teaching Assistant at Tennessee State University
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To ensure the stability and longevity of any structure on the soil, it is very important to know the amount of moisture present in the soil. The volume of water available in the soil can greatly affect the its properties because high moisture content lead to reduction in soil strength and increase its compressibility but dry soil tend to more stable.

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2 Soil Strength

Soil strength is the ability of soil to resist deformation and failure under applied stresses. Soil strength depends on many factors, such as soil type, moisture content, density, structure, and stress history. Soil strength is usually measured by laboratory or field tests, such as direct shear, triaxial compression, unconfined compression, and standard penetration tests. Soil strength is important for building design, as it determines the bearing capacity, settlement, slope stability, and lateral earth pressure of the foundation and retaining structures.

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3 Soil Compressibility

Soil compressibility is the tendency of soil to decrease in volume under applied pressure. Soil compressibility affects the settlement of structures, which is the vertical displacement of the foundation due to the load of the structure and the changes in soil conditions. Settlement can cause differential movement, cracking, and damage to the structure and its serviceability. Soil compressibility is influenced by soil type, moisture content, stress history, and drainage conditions. Soil compressibility is usually evaluated by laboratory or field tests, such as consolidation, oedometer, and plate load tests.

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4 Soil Permeability

Soil permeability is the ease with which water can flow through the soil pores. Soil permeability affects the drainage, seepage, erosion, and groundwater conditions of the site. Soil permeability is related to soil type, grain size distribution, porosity, and degree of saturation. Soil permeability is often measured by laboratory or field tests, such as constant head, falling head, permeameter, and pumping tests. Soil permeability is important for building design, as it influences the hydrostatic pressure, uplift force, pore water pressure, and frost heave of the foundation and retaining structures.

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Kehinde Omotayo (R.Eng) I Msc l MNSE I MEng I A.M.ASCE I GT FocusScholarX2

PhD student in Engineering and computational sciences | Research & Teaching Assistant at Tennessee State University
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It is also important to note that the higher the permeability of soil, the better its chance for drainage. High permeability can lead to better drainage but may also affect the soil stability mostly in Sandy or gravelly soil. Soil with low permeability could result to water logging thereby increased pressure on the foundation.

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5 Soil Reactivity

Soil reactivity is the degree of change in soil volume and strength due to changes in moisture content. Soil reactivity is mainly caused by the presence of clay minerals that expand when wet and shrink when dry. Soil reactivity can cause swelling, shrinking, cracking, and differential movement of the soil and the structure. Soil reactivity is usually assessed by laboratory tests, such as Atterberg limits, linear shrinkage, and free swell tests. Soil reactivity is important for building design, as it affects the design of footings, slabs, and pavements, and the selection of suitable materials and construction methods.

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Kehinde Omotayo (R.Eng) I Msc l MNSE I MEng I A.M.ASCE I GT FocusScholarX2

PhD student in Engineering and computational sciences | Research & Teaching Assistant at Tennessee State University
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In earthquake-prone areas, the soil capacity to amplify seismic waves is crucial for designing earthquake-resistant structures. In these areas, seismic properties of the soil are of utmost importance.

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6 Soil Improvement

Soil improvement is the process of modifying the soil properties to enhance its suitability for building design. Soil improvement can be achieved by various methods, such as compaction, stabilization, drainage, reinforcement, grouting, and ground improvement. Soil improvement aims to increase the soil strength, reduce the soil compressibility, improve the soil permeability, and control the soil reactivity. Soil improvement requires careful planning, design, and quality control, based on the site investigation, soil testing, and engineering analysis.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What soil properties are essential for building design?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Soil Classification

2 Soil Strength

3 Soil Compressibility

4 Soil Permeability

5 Soil Reactivity

6 Soil Improvement

7 Here’s what else to consider

Civil Engineering Design

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What soil properties are essential for building design?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Soil Classification

2 Soil Strength

3 Soil Compressibility

4 Soil Permeability

5 Soil Reactivity

6 Soil Improvement

7 Here’s what else to consider

Civil Engineering Design

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