How to Prevent Soil Settlement

Soil is the ultimate foundation, serving as the base for all structures on earth. If that wasn't a big enough job, soil is also responsible for growing all the food needed to sustain life on the planet. The quality of soil varies by geographic location, with loam (an even mixture of sand, silt and clay sized particles) being the most desirable. Soil settlement, also called soil consolidation, occurs when applied pressure causes soil molecules to press tightly together. Water has a hard time traveling through this soil, leading to cracks in building foundations and low crop yields.

Instructions

1. • 1
     Reduce all unnecessary travel over the soil. If you use heavy equipment, set all tires at the same width so there is only one path for machine travel. Take fewer trips by managing your time; do your duties in one trip. Do not overfill your tires, but rather keep them minimally inflated.
   • 2
     Till at a different depth each year with sharp blades on thoroughly dry soil. Avoid tilling, or otherwise subsoiling, when the soil is wet. When you move wet soil around it tends to stick together, sealing the surface from future water absorption. This accelerates the rate of erosion, which also leads to soil settlement over time.
   • 3
     Control erosion further by changing the landscape. Plant various species of grasses along sloped waterways so the water has a path to follow. Plant grasses or trees in rows along the borders of your fields; they will act as a barrier for escaping soil and nutrient water.
   • 4
     Plant your field to accommodate the landscape across the natural slope of the land. You can build dirt ridges between rows to keep the soil from settling.
   • 5
     Avoid building structures on soils with a high percentage of clay. When exposed to water, clay expands and collapses, with the resulting soil settlement leading to cracks in the foundation of buildings.