Hello,
I have the following situation:
Around the basement, a drainage system has been installed in gravel, covered by a layer of geotextile or something similar (I can’t recall the exact term right now). In one area of the house, this was then backfilled with excavated soil, as neither a terrace nor anything else will be built there (so some settlement is accepted). According to the soil report, backfilling with excavated soil is possible when considering the settlement.
These works were carried out by the civil engineer, but the general contractor’s site manager happened to see this during his only visit so far during the construction phase and issued a notice of concern. He simply claimed that the working space was “not backfilled with suitable, compactable material.” There was no reference to any standard or regulation. He wants to exclude liability for potential damage, including to the basement waterproofing.
Therefore, my question is: is there a standard, such as a DIN or similar, that regulates which materials should be used and how they should be installed here? I have seen backfilling with excavated soil in non-settlement-sensitive areas at many houses before; aside from the settlement, I am not aware of any resulting damage.
Best regards,
Matze719
I have the following situation:
Around the basement, a drainage system has been installed in gravel, covered by a layer of geotextile or something similar (I can’t recall the exact term right now). In one area of the house, this was then backfilled with excavated soil, as neither a terrace nor anything else will be built there (so some settlement is accepted). According to the soil report, backfilling with excavated soil is possible when considering the settlement.
These works were carried out by the civil engineer, but the general contractor’s site manager happened to see this during his only visit so far during the construction phase and issued a notice of concern. He simply claimed that the working space was “not backfilled with suitable, compactable material.” There was no reference to any standard or regulation. He wants to exclude liability for potential damage, including to the basement waterproofing.
Therefore, my question is: is there a standard, such as a DIN or similar, that regulates which materials should be used and how they should be installed here? I have seen backfilling with excavated soil in non-settlement-sensitive areas at many houses before; aside from the settlement, I am not aware of any resulting damage.
Best regards,
Matze719
Vicky Pedia10 May 2020 21:56Hello Matze, no worries. The term "compressible" refers to the structure above. It does not matter which material you fill in initially; the pressure on the wall remains the same. So, you don’t need to worry about the house. If the material cannot be compacted (for example, with a plate compactor), it will settle over the years. Of course, you don’t want that for a new terrace. But in areas where it doesn’t matter, I can always add a wheelbarrow of soil years later. So, damage to the house—no; settling—yes.
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