The Effect of Soil on Concrete

Protecting the concrete you are working on involves scanning what is underneath it.

Protecting the concrete you are working on involves scanning what is underneath it. Not only can this process reveal stacks of rebar and any utility lines that are underground, but you can also get a closer look at how the soil is situated underneath any slabs that you need to cut or drill through to get the project completed. Here’s a better look at the effects different components of soil have on concrete.

Clay 

Clay is an integral part of the soil around you. Unfortunately, clay is extremely unstable. This makes building a concrete foundation more difficult. Wet clay soil expands and dry soil will contract after the precipitation stops. This will also confound your efforts to work on concrete, whether you need to lay it down or pull it up in advance of demolishing an old building. Whenever the soil starts to shift, then it will become weaker. Repairs, replacements, and resurfacing are all methods that you can use to remedy this issue. 

Peat 

Now let’s look at how peat in the soil will affect concrete. Peat is made out of dirt, mud, and grime that remains after a rainstorm. You’ll often find peat in swamps, wetlands, and bogs, but it’s not exclusive to those types of terrain. That’s because if you need to build near a lake, a river, a pond, or a stream, you will have to deal with this complication as well. Since peat is similar to clay, accounting for problems involving cracking and stretching is an urgent consideration, especially during the fall and winter.   

Sand 

Another element of soil is sand. The sand is often found alongside another substance called loam. One of the differences to note about sand is that cracking isn’t as common. However, you will need to deal with soil erosion. Erosion is a nuisance when you need to complete gardening or landscaping tasks, but it becomes even more of a problem when you must work with concrete in any capacity.  

Bedrock

Lastly, let’s examine the bedrock hidden in the soil. Although bedrock technically isn’t a form of soil, you will find it embedded in the earth regardless. Bedrock deposits represent a solid place to start building a foundation but drilling into it presents its own set of challenges.

Prioritize Safety with G&M Services

G&M Services is proud of our employees and the dedication they have for safety in the workplace. We reward our employees for displaying positive safety practices. We incorporate weekly and monthly discussions and meetings to ensure that all involved are aware of how to handle equipment and potential situations that could occur during a project.

G&M Services offers services in the way of concrete drilling and sawing, concrete scanning, and Firestop. To get started with us, call today at 410-787-8828 or visit our contact page. Follow the official company page today on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.