implications of constructing a building on clayey soil with high water table?
452583
Among the possibilities, the foundation could be affected by compression from the damp and unyielding surrounding soil.  Extra drainage gravel around entire foundation may minimize foundation pressure fissures/cracking/collapse.\n\nHigh water table may require continuous or nearly continuous pumping to prevent flooding of basement or lowest level of structure.\n\nSlab construction, if possible, would eliminate below grade issues.
974717
Simple answer?\n\nC - Groundwater\n\nWater and air fill the spaces down to the zone of saturation, i.e. the water table, though its not really a flat surface in the ground. As one goes deeper, saltwater encroaches becoming brines.\n\nIn some areas where the geology is right and structural traps exist in the formations, oil and natural gas can occupy fractures and pore spaces.
81235
If it's just a school project, you might try pumping it or simply use a bucket. It depends on how large your model and pocket are.\nIn actual aqueducts, the water is already at a higher level (like a mountain spring or lake) so I think it would be fair to replicate that situation.
234893
Concrete slab floors which have been sitting on clayey soil for a few years are susceptible attacks from sulphates in the soil, this can cause cracking in the floor slab.
228265
The function of a foundation is to spread a load over a wider area to allow it to be supported.  \n\nImagine a fence post in sand ... it will tend to sink with little load.  If you lay a paving slab and then put the post on that it can take a much higher load.\n\nThat is teh simple version ... foundations also can transfer load through 'bad' ground conditions to a better one or one less affected by ground movement/frost etc.\n\n\nDrop me a note if you need more :-)
918674
Build earthquake proof buildings. Many such buildings exist, with their foundations deep in the bedrock, with flexible materials.
956167
yes but you you would have to make sure that the water pressure is not too high so only on shallowish sea beds and it would be dangerous if the structure did fail it's bye bye to everyone.\nWe have made air tight structures before (eg space craft and submarines) so its possible just not practical.
134391
Almost all buildings settle as the weight of the building compresses the subsoil supporting it.  In a typical house that may cause a only a few cracks in the plasterboard walls, etc.  But you would never notice from the outside.  For a very tall narrow building a little settling would be magnified by the height.  And once tilted, the load on the subsoil would no longer be evenly exerted and the tilt may help increase itself.  When the Tower of Pisa was built, much less was known about soil engineering and you took what you got, especially if the building far outlived the builders.  I believe that there have been many schemes to return the tower to plumb but little interest because the tower would lose its historical appeal.  They just want to reduce the tilt if necessary and insure that it never actually topples.
378025
You might want to try rephrasing this question, as it is kind of confusing. \n\nWhen buying a home in some areas you must sign a drainage disclosure, which states that that there could be drainage problems in the future.\n\nAs far as the environmental part of your question, if the home you are purchasing is on a septic instead of sewer, you may want to check your county/city department of environmental health to ensure that the septic tank on the property is sufficient size to handle the number of bedrooms.\n\nI hope that helped. If you could add more detail to your question it would be easier to answer.
71899
Cool and important to know!\n\nWeak soils just means earth which can't support much of a load. In some cases it is because the soil is not hard-packed. Or sometimes it is what the soil, is made from, sand, loam, peat, mud, clay, gravel, or just too much water.\n\nWhen a certain type of quake hits a weak soil, it can cause it to sort of liquefy like quick-sand. Landslides can happen on a sloping area. And anything built on it is badly damaged or partially sinks. Hey it's like building a card house on a water bed and then sitting on the edge  of the bed. Kablam! No more card house.\n\nCheck out the Google links below to see the devastation of weak soil liquefaction.
1016150
At that depth the temperature is likely to be close to the annual average temperature. Your idea is excellent and is commonly applied commercially in the form of geoexchange pumps. \n\nOne reason this works, besides the fact that shallow ground is going to be near annual average temperature, is that there is an observed delay in the change of ground temperature at some shallow depth that will be about 6 months out of phase with the surface temperature. So in the summer when you need it most, there will be a cooler zone in the ground beneath you that is still affected by last winter's cooling. \n\nThe SMU Geothermal Lab has a lot of data relative to geothermal gradient. However, geothermal gradient is the 'rate of change' in temperature and not the actual temperature data, so I went through their spreadsheet data and tried to find a well temperature that would be relevant to you. Few wells have temperature readings taken at such a shallow depth as 60 meters. Here is their site, which you may find interesting:\nhttp://www.smu.edu/geothermal/\n\nWhat you are really interested in is called a geothermal heat pump. Here is a page with links to lots of information on geothermal heat pumps:\nhttp://www.smu.edu/geothermal/GPW_TX/GPW_TX_HeatPumps.htm\n\nTake a look at some of this information:\nhttp://www.geoexchange.org/publications/factsheets.htm\nGeothermal heat pumps have been found to be one of the most efficient methods for heating and cooling buildings, with an average of 36% more efficiency for heating and 43% more efficiency in cooling that gas heat pumps. There are over a million installations of geoexchange pumps in the US at present. Here is a diagram that shows how it works for cooling:\nhttp://www.geoexchange.org/images/Home%20GX%20smmr.jpg\n\nHere is another good writeup by an engineer on geoexchange:\nhttp://www.greenbuilder.com/sourcebook/groundsource/\n\nHere is the EPA's site on geoexchange:\nhttp://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/greenhouse/greenhouse9/comfort.html
492924
i'm not exactly sure, but i would think that it would depend on the soil composition.  after all a fine clay has much different properties than a sandy or rocky soil
960635
Geologists and soil engineers will be quick to point out the benefits of wetlands and soil composition as water filters.  While surface water may be contaminated, well water can often be clean - at least for a time.
73982
Same as the foundation of a house, except bigger.\n\nThere are several ways to build the foundation depending on the soil structure and the estimated weight of the skyscraper.
1092474
How everyone will survive when land is covered with water due to Global Warming.\nPlz Visit:\nwww.geocities.com/futuresystematization\nfor my answer.\n\nWaiting for your reply\nSANU\nResearch Engineer
442071
To build a basement to a house is to expensive. If you don't need it why? It can increase the building costs in some cases with ~ 30%, because of the bigger foundations, water insulation's, digging etc. It's much easier and cheaper to build at ground level.
296882
Most need sandy soil that drains very well in order to grow