Cracks in Building – Cracking Due to Vegetation

Preetham Builders one of the Best Builders in Madurai are developing Gated Community Luxury villas and flats.

This gated community ” BRINDAVAN HOMES ” is being developed in Kochadai Madurai, a fast developing area in Madurai.

With abundant water supply and green environments this gated community ” BRINDAVAN HOMES ” with individual buildings and Bungalows present a Resort like feelings.

Preetham Granite M.D addressed the gathering of engineers (Association of Madurai Civil Engineers) on Cracks in Buildings – Causes & Remedies at Hotel Weshtern Park ( 01.09.2016).

 

CRACKING DUE TO VEGETATION:

When the soil under the foundation building happens to be shrinkable clay, cracking in walls and floors of the building can occur either due to dehydrating action of growing roots on the soil which may shrink and cause foundation settlement or due to upward thrust on a portion of the soil that had been dehydrated earlier by roots, sells up on getting moisture from some source such as rain.

where old trees growing in the vicinity of a structure are cut off in order to clear the surroundings. In course of time soil under the foundation which had been dehydrated by the trees absorbs moisture from rain. Etc and swellsup so as to exert upward thrust on the foundation. This causes  cracks in the building as shown. These craks are wide at the base and get narrow as they travel upwards.

If some large trees exist close to a building and these are not causing any problem as far as possible do not disturb these trees if soil under the foundation happens to be shrinkable clay.

If from any site intended  for new construction, vegetation including trees is removed and the soil is shrinkable clay do not commence construction activity on that soil until it has undergone expansion after absorbing moisture and stabilized.