ᐅ Soil composed of loess and trace plates. What are the implications for house construction?
Created on: 13 May 2009 18:52
M
meli28
Hello!
We are considering a plot of land that consists of loess and terrace deposits. Does anyone know what this means and what implications it might have for building a house?
Best regards,
Melanie
We are considering a plot of land that consists of loess and terrace deposits. Does anyone know what this means and what implications it might have for building a house?
Best regards,
Melanie
Hello Melanie,
The additional costs for a “watertight concrete structure” (also known as a “white tank”) depend on several factors:
the size (floor area, ceiling or reinforced concrete wall height) of the basement, whether the floor plan is simple or complex, and so on.
However, for a typical single-family house, the extra expenses compared to a basement made of masonry are estimated to be around 5,000 to 10,000 euros.
If the groundwater level is approximately 0.75 meters (2.5 feet) below the top edge of the soil, careful construction of the tank is especially important.
Any external basement entrance must, of course, be integrated into the waterproof structure.
For light wells in front of basement windows, it is also crucial to ensure tightness, as otherwise groundwater can flow into the basement windows. If necessary, these should also be made of waterproof concrete. The drainage here must not end in the usual perimeter drainage but instead be discharged through a separate waterproof pipe.
I once encountered a similar situation with a holiday home at Alfsee, where the groundwater temporarily reached just below the lawn surface.
With such groundwater conditions, I would consider either raising the house sufficiently above ground level or foregoing the basement altogether and instead adding a larger storage room next to the garage or carport, provided the plot size allows this.
If building without a basement, the foundations should be dimensioned sufficiently large for the following reason: If the groundwater level drops temporarily or permanently, the lack of counterpressure could otherwise lead to increased settlement and cracking.
I hope my explanations have been somewhat helpful to you.
The additional costs for a “watertight concrete structure” (also known as a “white tank”) depend on several factors:
the size (floor area, ceiling or reinforced concrete wall height) of the basement, whether the floor plan is simple or complex, and so on.
However, for a typical single-family house, the extra expenses compared to a basement made of masonry are estimated to be around 5,000 to 10,000 euros.
If the groundwater level is approximately 0.75 meters (2.5 feet) below the top edge of the soil, careful construction of the tank is especially important.
Any external basement entrance must, of course, be integrated into the waterproof structure.
For light wells in front of basement windows, it is also crucial to ensure tightness, as otherwise groundwater can flow into the basement windows. If necessary, these should also be made of waterproof concrete. The drainage here must not end in the usual perimeter drainage but instead be discharged through a separate waterproof pipe.
I once encountered a similar situation with a holiday home at Alfsee, where the groundwater temporarily reached just below the lawn surface.
With such groundwater conditions, I would consider either raising the house sufficiently above ground level or foregoing the basement altogether and instead adding a larger storage room next to the garage or carport, provided the plot size allows this.
If building without a basement, the foundations should be dimensioned sufficiently large for the following reason: If the groundwater level drops temporarily or permanently, the lack of counterpressure could otherwise lead to increased settlement and cracking.
I hope my explanations have been somewhat helpful to you.
Hello Melanie,
Is there no unit given for the groundwater level measurement? Where does the figure 73/75 come from?
Theoretically, the groundwater level could also be indicated in meters above sea level.
How high is the Ruhr River in Mülheim above the standard reference level?
The groundwater level usually cannot be lower than the water surface of the Ruhr.
Do you know the elevation of the plot above sea level?
If the city of Mülheim in the Ruhr area is at 96m (315 feet) above standard reference level and the groundwater level is at 75m (246 feet) above the same (although it naturally varies locally), that would mean the groundwater is about 21m (69 feet) below the city’s surface. That sounds unlikely to me.
If I were you, I would check again with the city of Mülheim’s civil engineering department or water authority. Usually, these offices have groundwater maps indicating the respective groundwater levels.
Please let me know what you find out.
Is there no unit given for the groundwater level measurement? Where does the figure 73/75 come from?
Theoretically, the groundwater level could also be indicated in meters above sea level.
How high is the Ruhr River in Mülheim above the standard reference level?
The groundwater level usually cannot be lower than the water surface of the Ruhr.
Do you know the elevation of the plot above sea level?
If the city of Mülheim in the Ruhr area is at 96m (315 feet) above standard reference level and the groundwater level is at 75m (246 feet) above the same (although it naturally varies locally), that would mean the groundwater is about 21m (69 feet) below the city’s surface. That sounds unlikely to me.
If I were you, I would check again with the city of Mülheim’s civil engineering department or water authority. Usually, these offices have groundwater maps indicating the respective groundwater levels.
Please let me know what you find out.
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