Basement backfill
Basement backfill
(OP)
I live in a area full of clay, compromised by weeks of drought followed by the flood of rain. This is hell on the average basement. To keep pressure off the basement wall, it is advised to wet the soil around the walls periodically to keep large cracks from appearing in the soil (clay). This will soon be rental property and I want to keep it as maintence free as possible. Any ideas? I was told by one of my instructors at the college to use engineered soil. Having trouble finding this he told me I could mix fly ash with the clay. Since then he's retired. Could anyone else please elaborate? Or is there anything better (like sand); and whats the best way to mix this? Any suggestions would greatly be appreciated - thanks.
Craig
Craig





RE: Basement backfill
DaveAtkins
RE: Basement backfill
The idea is to wet the ground during the dry part of the cycle in order to maintain the moisture content of the soil thus preventing the cracks from forming. The cracks could potentially provide a pathway for water to reach both the wall and the foundation. If large cracks form and heavy rain occur the water tightness of the wall may be tested and the foundation, depending on the depth of fill, may be eroded resulting settlement.
Engineered fill is probably a reference to an imported soil not made up primarily of clayey sediments and thus not susceptible to desiccation.
Reducing pressure on the walls? I don’t see cracks causing pressure on the walls. Wouldn’t water filling the cracks cause some head, assuming the drain tile is not working?
Fly ash. This would require excavation, mixing,, and compaction. I can see the properly compacted mix being less susceptible to desiccation; however, the compaction process would probably blow out the walls as residential walls are not made to be compacted against.
Techmaximus
RE: Basement backfill
RE: Basement backfill
Also, maybe I’m missing something, but I don’t see how “cracks in the soil “cause pressure on the wall" or "allow the walls to settle". The fill material dries out causing vertical cracks. If the fill material is drier than it was before and thus weighs less per cubic foot than it previously did how does a having less weight against the wall cause this pressure or allow settlement?
Techmaximus
RE: Basement backfill
RE: Basement backfill