Groundsure
1 Contributions by Groundsure Experts
PRACTICE NOTES
Introduction to subsidence
Subsidence arises when the soil below a building cannot adequately bear its load effectively. It frequently follows loss of moisture and shrinkage in the ground, commonly after extended dry periods. Other forms of ground movement include ‘settlement’ (the normal compression of soil under a property), ‘heave’ (upward lift beneath a structure, often linked to flooding, escaping water or nearby trees near a property) and ‘landslip’ (sideways displacement due to erosion, frequently affecting coastal homes and properties). A range of triggers can set off subsidence and related ground instability issues. These include, among others:
human disturbance (e.g. mines, mine shafts, old and disused wells, soakaways, former ice-houses, past storage or refuse pits)
altered drainage regimes and patterns
intense rainfall and heavy rain
removal of groundwater and abstraction
impacts of climate change (e.g. rain, drought, erratic
Environment
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