Stabilize The Soil Before Building Your Parking Lot
Sometimes, it's not possible to begin construction work until the soil has been stabilized. To put down a road or parking lot, the soil has to be compacted to hold the weight of the pavement without shifting. If you need to add a new parking lot, but the soil isn't suitable because it is sandy, then soil stabilization might be able to help. Here's an overview of how it works.
Stabilization Leaves The Soil In Place
An alternative to stabilization is to excavate the area and remove the top layer of soil. Then, a more suitable soil is trucked in and put in its place. This is expensive and labor intensive. Stabilization is a better alternative because you use the soil you already have, it's just treated, so it is suitable to build a parking lot on.
Additives Are Mixed Into The Soil
Soil is stabilized by adding something to it. Grout or cement is a popular choice. The cement is spread over the soil, and then it is mixed together with heavy machinery. The mixing process continues until the desired condition of the soil is achieved. After that, the area is graded and prepped for construction just like any other patch of soil.
Soil Stabilization Adds Strength
The new soil mixture is compacted to prepare the base for your new parking lot. With cement added, the mixture is dense and strong. It compacts easily, and it's able to support the weight of pavement, cars, and trucks. The denseness of the new soil protects it from water that can make soil shift in the right conditions. It also forms such a solid base that a thinner layer of pavement might be sufficient.
Soil stabilization isn't always necessary, but it turns loose, spongy soil into a stronger surface that is more suitable for building. If the land in the area where you'll build the parking lot sinks, shifts, gets ruts easily, or shrinks and swells with rain, then some stabilization may be necessary before work begins on your parking lot.
Why Soil Stabilization Is Necessary
A stable base is needed for your parking lot and the road leading to it. If the soil isn't stable, it can shift slightly, especially when it rains. A shift causes cracks, sinkholes, dips, and potholes to develop in your parking lot which means you'll pay more over the years for repairs. It's better to make the base strong to begin with so that you can avoid all the problems that come with building on unstable soil.