Expansive Soil Foundation Practice in a Semiarid Region

Abstract

Expansive soils are known to be a serious hazard to buildings and the infrastructure industry. Saudi Arabia is located in a semiarid region where extremely dry expansive formations are frequently inundated by either household drainage or rainfall and storms. This review is aimed at investigating the procedures and methods used in variable parts of a semiarid region (Saudi Arabia) as applied by the municipalities or project owners to prevent or at least reduce the potential hazards of expansive soils. The work covers an extensive review of the published literature on the subject related to Saudi Arabia. Tabuk and Northwestern areas are among the most affected parts. The city has grown and expanded in recent decades as many major projects were constructed. The economic loss due to expansive soils in Saudi Arabia is estimated in hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars. Various solutions practiced in this area are presented. Discussion of alternative approaches can serve as a useful guide for the engineering communities and contractors. Highlights of the successful approaches in the region are shown.