EXPANSIVE SOILS- THE HIDDEN DISASTER

摘要: Each year, shrinking or swelling soils inflict at least $2.3 billion in damages to houses, buildings, roads, and pipelines-- more than twice the damage from floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes. Yet Washington continues spend billions of dollars for flood control, but almost nothing lessen soils. When they are dry, expansive hard strong, often badly cracking structures built on them. While expansion is a problem arid semi-arid areas, shrinkage caused by dessication can affect areas with sizeable precipitation. Over 250,000 new homes each year; 10% these will experience severe during their lifetime. Expansive also multi-story buildings. Walls may not be heavy enough resist soil (uplifting). The same walls most vulnerable if supporting dries out shrinks, removing wall support.