Whilst we originally posted about desiccation and the testing process in April (Absence of April Showers Signals First Signs of Soil Desiccation), this post serves as a timely reminder that the current period of (mostly) dry and warm weather can lead to drying-induced desiccation where cohesive soils are left exposed, for example after topsoil is stripped or where footings are left open in the hot sun.
Sudden cracking of clay indicates that it is susceptible to volume change, and footings (for example) need to extend through the cracked ‘crust’ into material which hasn’t been desiccated.
Desiccation cracks indicate that the soil has ‘shrunk’ and become hard which can cause subsidence, cracking and damage to foundations and structures. When the soil rehydrates, it can cause swelling and heave, which can lead to structural damage including cracks to foundations, walls and floor slabs.
GRM can provide ground investigation, foundation design and site inspection services which can help manage the risks posed by seasonal desiccation, as unnecessarily allowing for these, or recovering from the effects of them can be very costly. If you have any development or construction projects, then please get in touch to find out how we can help save both time and costs. Please use your main point of contact at GRM or for new enquiries email richard.upton@grm-uk.com or call 01283 551249.