So Your Home is Built on Expansive Soils: A Discussion on How Expansive Soils Affect Buildings, Second Edition, is written for the layperson in clear, easy-to-understand terms to assist homeowners in understanding why some soils and conditions lead to problematic shrinking and swelling. Both the nature of the soil behavior and how buildings respond are addressed. This comprehensively updated report discusses the difference between cosmetic damage and structural damage resulting from soil shrinkage or heave movement and provides information on both prevention and mitigation of damage

How does a homeowner determine whether or not his/her home is constructed on expansive soils? What are expansive soils, and what causes these soils to shrink or swell? Does the type of foundation affect the performance of a house constructed on such soil? How does lot drainage affect the performance of a house? ASCE's So Your Home is Built on Expansive Soils provides answers to these questions and more, as chapters review the characteristics of expansive soil behavior and a myriad of questions frequently asked by construction industry professionals, engineers, and homeowners alike. In clear, easy to understand terms, this committee report defines the difference between cosmetic and structural damage resulting from expansive soil management; examines the influence of climate, vegetation, and irrigation; and explores the subsequent impact on structures supported over expansive soils. Guidelines for owner maintenance, as well as various preventive and remedial measures are provided. Additional topics include the cost of building on expansive soils; causes of exterior and interior cracking in buildings; and how to hire an engineer. Numerous photographs, cutaway sketches, and figures illustrate key points of the text.

The series comprises selected translations of Russian geotechnical literature, and this is a translation of a 1989 second edition reference. Coverage includes laws governing expansion and contraction of argillaceous soils, principles governing deformation of soil mass and foundations during soil exp

This title is written for the layperson in clear, easy-to-understand terms to assist homeowners in understanding why some soils and conditions can lead to structural or cosmetic damage to buildings.

Foundations on Expansive Soils provides the practicing engineer with a summary of the state-of-the-art of expansive soils and practical solutions based on the author's experience. The book is organized into two parts. Part I deals with theory and practice, and summarizes some of the theoretical physical properties of expansive soils. It also discusses various techniques employed to found structures on expansive soils such as drilled pier foundation, mat foundation, moisture control, soil replacement, and chemical stabilization. Topics covered include the origin, mineralogical composition, and the basic structure of expansive soils; the migration of water, swelling potential, and swelling pressure; site investigations and laboratory testing; moisture control; and soil stabilization. Part II presents case studies on the following: distress caused by pier uplift; distress caused by the improper design and construction of a drilled pier foundation system; distress caused by heaving of footing pad and floor slab; distress caused by heaving of continuous footings; and distress caused by a rise of ground water.

In recent years building failures and the resulting lawsuits and awards for damages have frequently been in the news. The biggest headlines may have been reserved for structural failures and complete collapses, but we should not forget the less newsworthy failures such as leaky roofs, damp walls, dropped foundations and rotted timber. This book gives practical guidance on the prevention of failure by describing the nature and cause of the most common defects in buildings, and then shows how they should be avoided in design and construction.

A collection of Courtney's columns from the Texas Monthly, curing the curious, exorcizing bedevilment, and orienting the disoriented, advising "on such things as: Is it wrong to wear your football team's jersey to church? When out at a dancehall, do you need to stick with the one that brung ya? Is it real Tex-Mex if it's served with a side of black beans? Can one have too many Texas-themed tattoos?"--Amazon.com.