When considering new construction in any area, the quality of the soil is of prime concern. The soil on a parcel of land needs to support the foundation and the weight of a building, and when soil is overly moist or soft, this can present problems. Mixing lime with clay and other types of soils is a popular choice for creating a more stable environment for construction.

If you're thinking of having a home built or work in the construction industry and need to make a decision about the soil stabilization choices you have, note a few reasons why adding lime to clay or soft soil can be the best option:

1. Moisture barrier

One challenge with soil stabilization is that moisture can often seep into the subsoil, causing it to expand or become even softer. Putting a barrier around the soil such as with a retaining wall often doesn't help this issue with the subsoil, but mixing lime with the soil creates a natural moisture barrier.

This prevents the subsoil from absorbing that extra moisture and expanding or becoming too soft, which in turn keeps the foundation of a building from cracking and also reduces the risk of the building sinking.

2. Long-term durability

Soil goes through many cycles as the seasons change. It will freeze and then thaw, become wet and then dry, and so on. Each of these cycles can affect its properties, causing it to expand and contract and lose strength. When lime is added to soil, this provides it with long-term durability no matter the cycles it goes through.

Lime doesn't easily change with these cycles so it offers that durability over many years, not allowing soil to lose its strength over time. Because of how lime binds to clay, this type of soil can even become cement-like, so that its strength is actually increased.

3. Environmentally-friendly choice

Some methods of soil stabilization involve soil exchange, where soil is moved and mixed with other types of soil or is taken from one area and then added to another. This can cause erosion in an area, as certain soil levels are needed to keep proper moisture levels; removing them to mix with areas of construction can be unhealthy for the environment.

Using lime in soil stabilization not only protects the area being stabilized as no soil needs to be removed, but this also means less transport of soils. In turn, there are fewer vehicle emissions produced from heavy-duty trucks that need to haul soil back and forth in order to improve its overall stability and strength.

To learn more, contact a company like http://www.hiways.com.au with any questions you have.