17/08/2024
Have you ever thought of why
1. carpenters fix doors and windows nicely and after some time, the doors will go out of position, making it difficult to open and close them ?
2. You align windows properly and after some time, you’ve to forcefully open and close them?
3. Why there are cracks in your walls?
In today’s master class, I’ll explain to you why all these happen.
When you build, your house exerts so much pressure on the land beneath it, causing Soils under the foundation structures to deform. When this happens, your building goes through a process called foundation settlement. For easy understanding, let’s say (Sinking).
Buildings suffer damages due to settlement of its foundation specifically when the settlement occurs in a quick manner.
There are two forms of foundation settlement
1. Uniform Foundation Settlement
2. Differential Foundation Settlement
- Uniform foundation settlement is when the settlement (sinking) occurs at nearly the same rate throughout all portions of the building. Uniform settlement has minimal detrimental influence on the building unless it becomes pronounced.
-Differential foundation settlement is when settlement occurs unevenly, and to different portions of the building at different times. It causes one side of the house to sink, unlike uniform settlement where the entire house sinks unanimously. And this is where the problem is.
The attached image better explains this phenomenon.
Differential settlement can distort the frame of the building, floors may slope, walls and glass may crack, and doors and windows may not work properly. You’ll also notice cracks on your floors, drywall cracks, foundation cracks and deterioration of slabs etc.
Now you understand why your doors can’t open and close freely even though your carpenter fixed them very well ?
What causes foundation settlement?&
1. Incorrect sizing of foundation: If your foundation is not properly designed, you’re likely to encounter differential settlement.
2. Exp
