What You Need To Know About Building on Soils with Shrink–Swell Behavior

  • Expansive soil expands when wet and shrinks when dry, pushing up to 30,000 pounds per square foot against foundations, slabs, piers, and walls. 1
  • Heavy rain, high water tables, and poor drainage cause constant swelling and shrinking that crack concrete and shift structures.
  • Soils like Blackland Prairie and Yazoo Clay can run 100s of feet deep, making excavation costly and unrealistic. 2
  • Many soils are too wet or organic for lime or cement stabilization to work, especially on larger projects.
StormVoid under concrete (800 x 532)

What Regions Are Most at Risk?

US Expansive Soil Map
US Expansive Soil Map key

References: 

1  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/62695/dot_62695_DS1.pdf

2  https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Geolex/UnitRefs/PortersCreekRefs_3378.html

Simple, Cost-effective, and Scalable

By creating controlled voids beneath slabs, beams, walls, and piers, void forms create a space for soil to heave into without transferring pressure to the structure above. Available in materials ranging from biodegradable corrugated carton to weatherproof plastic, VoidForm can be tailored to the local environment. 

Simple to install and cost-effective for projects of any size, VoidForm has been the trusted solution for engineers and contractors nationwide for more than 45 years.