To be able to install appropriate piling, underpinning or auguring we must first take into account the characteristics of the soil in which we will be working on. Soil essentially consists of three different phases which all interact with each other indifferent ways: solid, liquid and gas phases. The characteristics of the soil will depend on how these three components interact with each other and on the stress applied to the soil.
The solid phase of soil is made up of clay, non-clay minerals and organic matter. We look at the sizes in terms of clay, sand or gravel. The liquid phase is composed of water contained in the soil. This water also contains organic compounds absorbed form chemical spills, waste and ground water. Even when soil is compact, it still contains air, which we categorise as the gas phase.
The science behind soil mechanics is known as soil mineralogy and looks at how the size, form, chemical properties, compressibility and load carrying capabilities of the soil all interact with each other.
By studying this discipline we can predict the soil performance and apply the correct engineering techniques accordingly. Soil mechanics has become a major part of engineering because each soil interacts differently when we integrate piling applications. Using the wrong engineering technique for a given soil type can cause the piling to be ineffective and even cause the construction upon the foundations to become dangerous in the future.
If a structure is to be built on a fine-grain soil with low permeability, for example, the flow of water through the soil voids will be reduced which can cause the soil to dry out and undercut strong foundations. On the other hand, high water content in the soil can cause heavy structures to sink under its own weight.
We take soil mechanics into account for each application of piling in Manchester to ensure that our foundations are suited to the exact requirements of the ground it resides in.
