How to Fix Slab Heave - Structural Engineers (2024)

FAQs

How to Fix Slab Heave - Structural Engineers? ›

Remove the cause of the uneven movement. Identify sources of soil moisture and eliminate them or isolate the building from them. Isolate the building from uneven movement. This method includes jacking and underpinning so that the house is supported clear of the ground movement.

How Is Concrete Heaving Repaired? If you are experiencing a problem with foundation heaving, it can be repaired through some type of underpinning system. This could include push piers, helical piers, or slab piers. With this process, the piers are inserted into the ground until they reach stable soil.

How can you avoid slab heave as the property owner? Overall, water is your enemy when it comes to slab heave. It's important to keep an eye on any possible water damage around your home, especially during the cooler months. Often water drainage is overlooked until substantial heavy rain alerts you to a problem.

Heave is the upward movement of a foundation or slab caused by underlying soils that expand or swell. This occurs due to an increase in moisture or by freezing forces. Heave is more common with slabs than foundations because slabs have less weight to resist heaving forces.

One method we use to repair a heaving foundation is to stabilize the soil with a polymer injection. This injection helps soil build resistance against water. On the other hand, if the heave damage is severe, it may be necessary to drain your foundation or repair it entirely.

We've found that putting in a layer of insulation underneath the concrete actually helps to prevent frost heaving from penetrating into the underlying soil and thus prevents the soil from freezing and expanding to the point where it pushes your concrete around.

You might also notice floor cracks that appear overnight, meaning the soil under your foundation is swelling and pushing everything upward. Cracks in Foundation Slabs: Cracks in the foundation slab are a clear sign of heave. These cracks can be big or small and often occur when the slabs lift or separate.

With heaving concrete, the middle of the slab often appears higher than the edges, since the surface is being pushed up by the expanding soil beneath. While settling concrete typically only moves in one direction — downward — heaving concrete moves in both directions, according to the state of the soil below.

There are a few different causes of rising concrete, and one of them is roots. Snaking and bulging roots can work their way under your concrete and push it up over time. Roots can cause cracks, misplaced slabs, and other headaches. Another common reason for rising concrete is poor soil conditions.

How do you stop ground heaving? ›

Sometimes, the solution can be simply to pump water out of the area that's causing the problem. However, occasionally the affected area might need to be excavated and broken pipes repaired or replaced. A qualified professional will be able to identify the cause of the ground heave and work to address it effectively.

Vertical ground movements of 4 to 8 inches are common and as much as 24 inches have been reported. Variations in the amount of heave, due to different soil and water conditions, can crack structures easily. Walls, slabs, footings, and pavements all can be damaged.

The phenomenon known as Sweating Slab Syndrome occurs when moisture collects on a surface (usually concrete), creating slippery conditions that pose a danger to workers, equipment, and products. If you're struggling with slick floors in your warehouse, learn how HVLS fans can help.

Small holes are drilled into the sloping sections of concrete. Polyurethane foam is injected through the holes into the void below. As the foam fills the void, your concrete floor is lifted until it's leveled. Once the foam cures, you'll need to wait 15 minutes before driving or walking over the concrete floor.

There are several ways to re-level a concrete slab, such as a sidewalk, pool deck, patio, or driveway. They include mudjacking, polyurethane foam injection, demolition and replacement, and the use of re-leveling grout. The latter has a lot of appeal.

The only way to stop water from coming up through your foundation slab is by installing a drain tile system, vapor barrier, and sump pump. Installing a vapor barrier will counter moisture seepage – A vapor barrier is a thin (10 to 20-mil thick) sheet of polyethylene that's placed along your foundation walls.

You can install concrete or steel piers to support the slab from beneath. This is often used for larger structures, such as foundations or large patios. Piers provide a strong, stable base, but installation is more complex and usually requires professional expertise.