Here at Rhino Piling, we provide deep foundational solutions that are designed to deliver longevity, stability and reliability for many years to come. With this said, this isn’t the only type of foundation that is available on the market as there is also the option to invest in shallow foundations instead. This is a type of foundation where the weight of a building is spread onto the immediate surface soil rather than being redistributed to the stronger soil deep within the earth. Read on as we go over a few reasons why it isn’t necessarily a worthwhile endeavor…
Subsidence
When soil is displaced and the ground begins to shrink with a downwards motion, it is known as subsidence and this is an issue that is always best caught sooner rather than later. After all, it can be incredibly expensive to rectify the damage that it creates. Shallow foundations only go around 1m into the ground which means that subsidence is a likely problem that may strike later on down the line.
Longevity
Due to the way that they are installed, shallow foundations generally require intervention after a couple of decades in order to counteract any soil movement that may have taken place. This is particularly important when the foundations have been installed in coastal areas because moisture is often the number one cause of soil movement and foundational displacement. From this, we can say that shallow foundations like slab-on-grade, pad or isolated footings don’t have as long a lifespan as alternative options like piling, shaft and caissons.
Weight Capacity
Since piling foundations are installed deep into the ground it means that the weight of the structure placed above it can be equally distributed and will be able to support the load with ease. Shallow foundations are complex in that they cannot be utilised if the bearing capacity of the top soil is less than the foundation itself as this will inevitably lead to subsidence. As such, it is vital that an on-site evaluation is carried out in order to determine the suitability of shallow foundations as per the requirements of each individual project.
Although shallow foundations are a perfectly suitable foundational solution, they tend not to be as reliable as deep foundations like driven piles or underpinning. After all, the soil beneath shallow foundations, particularly when it comes to raft foundations, is subject to movement that can lead to expensive repair work several years down the line. To speak to a member of our team about the difference between shallow and deep foundations, get in contact with the best piling Manchester has to offer today.
