The Three Main Causes Of Sinking Concrete

There are several reasons that can cause your concrete to sink. You will often come across it in the form of uneven, cracked, or sunken concrete. Some companies often refer to this as slab settlement. What is slab settlement? Well, Slab settlement is the sinking or movement of a concrete slab when the soil below the slab can no longer carry the weight of it. This happens frequently on driveways, walkways, sidewalks, garage floors, and foundations across the country.

Below are the three main causes for concrete sinking.

1. Soil Washout Beneath Concrete Slabs

Water caused by plumbing leaks, erosion, large rainfall, etc. will find its way underneath concrete slabs in your walkways, pool decks, garage and basement floors. As this water moves through the soil beneath your concrete, it can wash away the soil that is supporting the weight of the concrete. As this occurs over time, the amount of soil present underneath the concrete slab will diminish and your slabs will begin to sink due to a lack of support material.

2. Poorly Compacted Fill Soil

During the construction of a driveway, patio, sidewalk, or foundation, the soil is most often spread out or moved to achieve the desired grade level. If this soil is not properly compacted and a new slab is poured over the top then slab settlement is more likely to occur. The loose soil underneath the slab will compact over time and create empty cavities beneath the slab. Over and with very little support your concrete will crack and fall into the hole beneath. This is most often the cause of cracked concrete and occurs more around the edges and corners of large slabs.

3. Soil Moisture Content Changes

Cycles of wet and dry weather have a direct effect on the soil underneath your concrete slabs. When soil which large contents of clay get wet, they hold onto the water and expand in size. Later when the soil drys out it begins to shrink. This can leave large sections of your concrete wholly unsupported which can lead to cracking and slab settlement.

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