Soil Stabilization: Compacting, Draining, And Strengthening

Whether you're looking to repair a dilapidated road or you need soil stabilization, using the right methods and the right materials can help you get the job done correctly.

Here are some soil stabilization ideas to help your construction dollars go further.

Compacting

The more dense a material, the stronger and more resilient it's likely to be. For most construction projects, compacting involves two stages.

Adding More: running a steamroller over a section of ground will invariably make it more compact. However, it will also drastically change the amount of volume too. To ensure that an area remains level and/or sloped the way you need to, you will need to add more soil to the area before you attempt to compact it. To figure out how much volume you'll need to add, you will need to calculate the rate of compression and the desired end volume. Before you start a soil stabilization project, you should always ask potential contractors to provide firm numbers for both of these figures.

Compressing: compacting soil can require tons of force. When you approach potential contractors, ask them to provide details about how they compact soil. In some cases, opting for a bid with a contractor who lacks sophisticated equipment can require additional hours to get the job done. In many cases, you should only accept bids from contractors who are willing to provide maximum costs. These bids can protect you against potentially bloated figures for hours not included with the initial bid.

Draining

Regardless of your soil stabilization needs, you will need to properly manage drainage.

Layers: one of the most cost-effective ways to drain an area is to add base layers of porous materials. For instance, your soil composition contractor might begin a project by adding layers of crushed gravel and sand beneath your topsoil. These layers will allow moisture to percolate into the ground, which can halt the rate of erosion.

Strengthening

Making soil stronger can also require changing its composition. Your soil stabilization contractor should provide several options that work for a range of budgets and needs.

Lime: when added to clay-based soils, lime can improve strength and plasticity. Because lime is also relatively cheap, mixing it into the existing soil and the material you add can be friendly to your budget.

Bitumen: similar to tar and asphalt, this material can create a stronger topsoil that's also more weatherproof. 

To learn more, contact a company that does soil stabilization.   

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