Expansive and shrink-swell clay beneath a home
Distinguish volume-changing soil from simple settlement and avoid drainage or tree changes that worsen moisture gradients.
VERT / GREEN
Document cracks, seasons, trees, drainage and history before major work.
JAUNE / YELLOW
Seasonal movements correlated with drought, trees or drainage changes can indicate moisture-sensitive clay.
ROUGE / RED
Progressive deformation, addition or soil correction without geotechnical characterization: investigate before selecting foundation or underpinning.
Quick triage
What the professional checks
The geotechnical/structural professional checks clay type, moisture profile, seasonality, vegetation, loads, foundations and soil-structure interaction.
Official sources
Checked 2026-08-23
Tools related to this issue
V16
Advanced diagnostics to cross-check
V16 connects water, soil, climate, safety, materials and seasonal use to existing projects.