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Abstract
This is a book about soils—not soils that grow things, but soils that are intended to support hillsides, walls, streets, and houses. Richard Handy uses his years of professional engineering experience, his knowledge of geology, and his sense of humor to provide a light-hearted look at soil problems that confound buyers and owners of homes. With straightforward, easy-to-read language, Handy shows readers how to recognize and deal with problems that are at the very foundations of their domiciles. He addresses some of the most common and severe site problems, details what to look out for, and explains when to get professional help.
Topics include: landslides; slopes; quicksand; wet basements; expansive clay; collapsible soils; glacial action; bedrock, caverns, and sinks; mines and landfills; frost action; and earthquakes.
The text contains many diagrams, and each chapter concludes with a list of key points, questions, and answers.
This book looks at problems that confound homeowners, builders, architects, real estate agents, zoning boards, attorneys, assessors, insurance adjusters, earth movers, environmentalists, and even engineers.