Which drainage pipe is better in clay. How to make drainage of the foundation of the house with your own hands on clay soils

If you got a building plot, the research of which showed that groundwater lies very high to the ground surface, this does not mean that construction is canceled or hindered. You just have to increase the construction estimate for the arrangement of drainage and storm systems that will drain melt, rain and groundwater from the foundation of the house, ensuring the dryness of the structure and the duration of its operation. Do-it-yourself drainage of the site on clay soils is more difficult, since clay does not absorb water well and passes water, but for this there is a drainage system. On the other hand, clay soil keeps groundwater from penetrating into the upper soil layers from below, and you just have to protect the building from moisture entering the soil from above - from rain and snow.

Purpose of drainage

It is recommended to equip the drainage of the site on clay soils immediately after acquiring land for development or development, and the first step to ensuring the safety of your home is geological and geodetic surveys, on the basis of which the project is drawn up. But if you have at least the slightest experience in construction, such studies can be carried out independently, based on information from neighbors and on your own observations. It is necessary to dig a pit with a depth of at least 1.5 meters (the average depth of soil freezing), and visually establish its composition from the soil section. Depending on the predominance of one or another type of soil, an individual drainage scheme is drawn up.

Waters close to the surface of the ground are dangerous in spring and autumn, as they are fed by atmospheric precipitation, which quickly replenishes underground rivers. The weaker the soil, the faster the groundwater will be replenished with doge and meltwater. Therefore, the need for drainage of the site depends on the depth of groundwater, and at a water level below the base of the base by 0.5 m, water must be drained. The depth of the drainage pipes is 0.25-0.3 meters below the groundwater level.

Surface waters (perch water) manifest themselves if the site contains clay and loamy soil layers that practically do not let water through. In clay areas, immediately after rain, large puddles appear that do not go into the soil for a long time, and this is the first sign of a large layer of clay in the soil. The cure in this case is drainage and a storm system that will immediately drain rain or melt water from the surface of the site.

In order to completely protect the house from surface water, in addition to drainage and storm water, layer-by-layer backfilling of the base with clay soil is done, with each layer being rammed separately. A blind area wider than the backfill layer is also required.

Cost-Effective Solutions and Drainage Options

How and how to drain a site on clay soil? These are, first of all, such events:

1. Construction of a waterproofed blind area;
2. Arrangement of storm sewers;
3. Digging of upland ditches is a recess in the ground on the upland side of the site in order to divert rain and melt water;
4. Protection of the foundation from moisture with waterproofing materials.

Drainage can be made general or local. The local drainage system is intended only for draining the basement and foundation, the general drainage drains the entire area or its main part, which is at risk of waterlogging.

Existing site drainage schemes:

1. The ring scheme is a closed circuit of pipes around a residential building or site. The pipes are laid below the groundwater level by 0.25-0.35 m. The scheme is rather complicated and expensive, therefore it is used in exceptional cases;
2. Wall drainage is used to drain the foundation walls, and is mounted 1.5-2.5 m from the building. Pipe laying depth - 10 cm below the basement waterproofing level;
3. Systematic drainage includes an extensive network of channels for water drainage;
4. The radial drainage scheme is a whole system of drainage pipes and drainage channels combined into one design. It is mainly equipped to protect against floods and flooding of the site;
5. Reservoir drainage protects against perched water, and is mounted together with wall drainage to protect the slab base. Such a scheme is several layers of non-metallic materials plus a layer of waterproofing, on which a reinforced slab foundation is built.

Installation options for drainage systems

1. Closed installation. Excess water enters the drains and further - into the storage tank;
2. Open installation. Drainage trapezoidal channels are not closed from above, gutters are installed in them to collect water. To prevent debris from entering the gutters, they are covered with bars;
3. Backfill installation is used for drainage on soils containing loams and in areas with viscous clay. Drains are laid in trenches and backfilled.

Drainage pipes (drains) are metal or plastic pipes with perforations Ø 1.5-5 mm for the passage of water that accumulates in clay or other soil. So that the holes are not clogged with earth and debris, the pipes are wrapped with filter materials. Clay soils are the most difficult to filter, therefore, in such areas, drains turn into 3-4 layers of filters.

The diameter of the drains is up to 100-150 mm. At each turn, an audit should be arranged - a special well for collecting garbage and pumping water. All collected water is sent to a common water collector or a nearby body of water.

Drainage pipes are sold ready-made, but they can be easily prepared to work in the system and on their own, even from plastic bottles. Such an economical home-made system will easily withstand operation for 40-50 years. Pipes are built up simply: the neck of the next bottle is put on a bottle with a cut off bottom, and so on until the required length is obtained. In addition, the composite bottle pipe can be easily bent in any direction and at any angle. Just like industrial products, homemade pipes are wrapped in several layers of filter materials. On sloping sections, pipes are laid with the same slope as the surface of the construction site.

There is also another way to use plastic bottles - they are placed in the ground tightly to each other with closed lids to form a closed drainage channel that will serve as an air cushion in the ditch. The bottom of the ditch is protected by a cushion of sand. It is recommended to make several such pipes lying next to each other. In order for the system to work, the bottles are covered with geotextiles on all sides, and water will pass through the gaps between the bottles.

Also, when making drains yourself, you can use ordinary plastic sewer pipes by making holes Ø 2-3 mm in them, or by making cuts 15-20 cm long with a grinder, which is much faster.

So that after cutting or drilling the pipe does not lose mechanical strength, cuts must be made a certain amount per 1 m 2, or rather, they must be done at a distance of 30-50 cm from each other with a cut width of not more than 5 mm. If the holes are drilled with a drill, then the distance between them should be at least 10 cm, the diameter of the holes should not exceed 5 mm. The main thing is not how to make holes or cuts, but that large pieces of soil, crushed stone or other backfill do not fall into the holes.

Be sure to observe the slope of the drains so that the water flows by gravity into the sump. The slope must be at least 2 mm per 1 meter running pipe, maximum - 5 mm. If drains are mounted locally and in a small area, then their slope is in the range of 1-3 cm per 1 running meter.

It is allowed to change the slope angle if:

1. There is a need to divert a large volume of water without replacing pipes with larger diameter products - the slope angle is increased;
2. To avoid backwater when installing drains below the groundwater level, the slope of the system is reduced.

A trench for drains is dug with approximate observance of the slope, which is specified and implemented by adding coarse river sand. A layer of sand cushion - an average of 50-100 mm, so that it can be distributed along the bottom to comply with the slope. The sand is then moistened and compacted.

The sand cushion is covered with geotextile, which should also cover the walls of the trench. Crushed stone or gravel is laid on top with a layer of 150-300 mm (on loamy soils - up to 250 mm, on sand - up to 150 mm). The size of crushed stone grains depends on the diameter of the holes in the drains, or vice versa - depending on the fraction of crushed stone used, the diameter of the holes is selected: for Ø 1.5 mm, crushed stone with a particle size of 6-8 mm is used, for larger diameter holes, larger crushed stone is used.

A drain is laid on the crushed stone, several layers of gravel or the same crushed stone are poured on it, the backfill is rammed, and the edges of the geotextile are wrapped on the crushed stone with an overlap of 200-250 mm. So that the geotextile does not turn around, it is sprinkled with sand, with a layer of up to 30 cm. The last layer is the previously excavated soil.

The installation of the drainage system begins from the lowest section, and a collector is immediately equipped in the same section. This scheme works for any level of groundwater. Draining into a receiving tank, water can bring debris and dirt with it, which forms a blockage, which is cleaned in this collector. To facilitate cleaning and eliminate blockages, side pits are made with a layer of crushed stone at the bottom.

How to drain a site on clay soil updated: February 26, 2018 by: zoomfund

Flooding of a site with groundwater and meltwater can be a real disaster for its owner. Precipitation can also contribute to the violation of the soil structure. It is especially bad for the owners of land consisting mainly of clay or loam, since clay greatly retains water, hardly passing it through itself. In these cases, the only salvation may be a properly constructed drainage. For such soil, it has its own characteristics. Therefore, we will consider how to make drainage of the site with your own hands on clay soils.

Plants suffer from an excess of moisture in the first place. Their roots do not receive the amount of oxygen necessary for development. The result is deplorable - the plants wither at first, and then completely disappear. Moreover, this applies to cultivated plants and lawn grasses. Even in cases where clay is covered from above with a layer of fertile soil, water will be difficult to drain.

The comfort of work on the site is also important, because in the absence of a drain, even a little rain can turn clay soil into a swamp. It will be impossible to work on such land for several days.

When the water does not leave for a long time, there is a risk of flooding the foundation and freezing it when cold weather sets in. Even very good waterproofing is sometimes not able to protect the foundation from destruction, since it itself can be destroyed by frozen moisture.

We conclude: drainage of the site from groundwater is simply necessary. And if it has not been done yet, then you should not postpone its construction.

Preparation for the construction of the drainage system

Before choosing the type of drainage system, you should analyze your site.

Attention is drawn to the following points:

• Soil structure. In our case, clay is considered, which is not able to quickly pass water;
• Source of high moisture. This may be frequent precipitation or groundwater lying close to the surface;
• The type of drainage is selected or several types are combined;
• A plan is drawn up for the location of drainage trenches, revision and catchment wells. The plan indicates the depth of the drains, the dimensions of all elements of the system, their slope relative to the soil surface. The plan will allow you to quickly find the location of all elements of the system.

After such preparation, they begin to build the drainage of the site with their own hands on clay soils. Let's consider what kind of drainage happens, and which one is better suited for a clay area.

Types of drainage systems

Drainage in a clayey area can be surface, deep or reservoir. Sometimes it is advisable to combine several of these types to achieve the greatest drainage efficiency.

Surface drainage

If the site has even a slight natural slope, this creates additional advantages for surface drainage. Water flows by itself through the channels laid on the site to the designated place. Such channels are located on the surface of the soil, slightly deepening them into the ground. Surface drainage of a site on clay soils can be laid on almost any level ground: along paths, around a building, along the perimeter of lawns, near recreation areas and in other places.

Reservoir drainage

This type of drainage is created even before the construction of the foundation begins. The soil deepens below its location by at least 20 cm. The soil layer is also removed wider than the place where the foundation passes. Crushed stone is poured at the bottom of the pit with a layer of 20 cm, and drainage pipes are located around the perimeter. All moisture penetrating under the foundation is collected in pipes, from where it is discharged through separately laid pipelines to the drainage wells.

Tip: The depth of the reservoir drainage should exceed the depth of the clay soil. In this case, drainage will be most effective.

This type of drainage is quite laborious, therefore it is used less often, although it is useful for clay soils.

Maintenance of the drainage system consists only in cleaning it and pumping water from the collector well. If everything is done correctly, then no clay on the site can overshadow your mood and destroy the plants you grow.

When designing and building a house, it is important to take into account the characteristics of the soil. This applies both to their composition, bearing capacity, and to the presence of ground and surface waters. Wet soil is more prone to heaving, which leads to foundation deformations. In addition to the groundwater directly, which comes to the foundation from the depth of the soil, the structures are also negatively affected by surface moisture that enters the soil from the atmosphere.

Water drainage systems

The problem of high water level at the site must be addressed comprehensively. To begin with, it is important to conduct geological surveys to determine the level of groundwater and their presence in the soil. To do this, a certain number of pits are arranged, in each of which the level of accumulated moisture is measured. These data will be required in the future for design and drainage.

In general, two types of drainage are arranged on the site:

• surface, which is a storm sewer;
• deep - to reduce the level of groundwater.

Surface drainage is a system of elements through which atmospheric water is collected in special trays and ditches and discharged into nearby water bodies, a storm sewer network or into the soil. Water is collected from the roofs through the gutters and from the very surface of the soil.

Deep drainage is also called the drainage system of the site. They are located below the ground surface and are a system of pipelines, the water from which is also discharged outside the territory. Drainage of clay soil is especially important, as this soil is not able to absorb water.

Features of clay soils

With well-structured soil, water that appears in excess is itself discharged from the surface and from the depth of the base. Otherwise, special measures are required. Clay bases are dangerous because surface water is unable to soak into them. In some cases, this leads to swamping of the site. This makes it difficult to use it for agricultural purposes, and also leads to the constant threat of getting wet basements and destroying foundations.

Special drainage requirements must be established in such cases:

• For heavy clay soils. Such land is subject to waterlogging for long periods of time. This is especially dangerous in regions with prolonged rainfall.
• Medium structured soils in regions with high rainfall. These are light clays and loams, which in general are able to absorb some moisture.

How to make drainage in a clay area and what materials are used for this? Let's analyze this issue in more detail.

materials

What materials are needed for work? The main element of drainage is a pipe. For the system, perforated tubes are used, into which moisture seeps from the soil. The tubes are laid at a slope and connected to the main channel. Through which water is discharged into a well or reservoir. In general, the scheme of a deep drainage system, regardless of the scope (protection of the foundation, use on agricultural land to protect plants from excessive moisture) consists of the following elements:

1. Water intake. For these purposes, either natural formations (rivers, lakes, canals) are used, or wells are arranged. For small areas, wells are more often used, in which water is from collectors. From the wells themselves, water seeps into the soil, if at a depth it is able to accept moisture, or is pumped out by pumps as it fills into natural reservoirs.
2. Main canal. It is laid from the highest point of the site to the lowest. All the moisture collected by the system drains through this channel. For small drainage systems, it is not used.
3. closed collectors. These are pipelines in which moisture is collected from several drainage pipes.
4. Viewing wells.
5. Drainage pipelines.

As pipes, plastic products, ceramic perforated or asbestos-cement pipes with cuts are used. Now the bowl is used perforated pipes made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyethylene (PE). PE pipes are more flexible, which expands their scope. Specialized drainage pipelines have factory-made perforations. For them, filtration systems made of coconut fiber or geotextiles are used.

The main advantages of plastic drainage pipelines:

• ease;
• ease of installation;
• the corrugated wall of the pipe helps protect the perforation from dirt sticking;
• application flexibility.

How to make foundation drainage on clay soil? Consider the phased implementation of such a system in a problem area.

Drainage device on clay soil

Before starting work, it is necessary to carry out some calculations and select the scheme and materials used. For small areas, this can be done on your own:

1. First of all, the relief and slopes are determined. To do this, it is necessary to study the topographic plan or take measurements using a level. It is important to determine the highest and lowest points on the surface of the site.
2. A main canal is being laid on the site plan. It is arranged from the highest point to the lowest. If the section is without a slope, then the channel is traced arbitrarily. In this case, it is important to arrange the slope artificially.
3. Drainage pipelines are laid in such a way that the distance between them is no more than 10 meters, and they flow down a slope into the main canal.
4. Determine where to collect water. To do this, use natural and artificial ditches outside the site or arrange other elements. For example, reservoirs. It could be an ornamental pond. Also often used prefabricated wells. In this case, the water from them is pumped by drainage pumps. There is also the option that at the bottom of the well there will be sandy soil, which is able to absorb accumulated moisture.

After preparation and planning, they proceed to do-it-yourself drainage of the site on clay soils:

1. Perform earthworks. To do this, dig trenches for main and drainage pipelines. The depth of the trench is selected depending on the lower level of the foundation. On average, they are located at a depth of 1-1.5 m. If a house with a basement is planned, then the drainage pipes must be buried below the level of the basement floor. The width of the trench is 0.3-0.4 m. Do not forget about the slope. In addition to the main channel, it is also necessary for the main drainage pipes at the rate of 1 cm of slope per 1 m of the channel or pipeline.
2. In places of wells, pits are dug for the dimensions of the products.
3. The bottom of the trench is lined with geotextile.
4. Crushed stone (10-20 cm) is poured onto the geotextile.
5. Next, the pipelines are located directly.
6. If necessary, drainage pumps and pipelines from them outside the site are installed in the wells.
7. After laying, do not immediately fill the system with soil. It needs to be checked. To do this, wait for precipitation or use water from a hose. The flow of water through all pipelines should be checked. If necessary, change the slope or lay additional pipes between the designed ones.

After checking the trenches fall asleep. The system is ready to use! Do not forget about the regular maintenance and cleaning of drainage wells, storm water inlets and channels. The system is designed to work for many years.

Flooding the site with melt or storm water is one of the most unpleasant seasonal phenomena for owners. Heavy and dense clay soils dry out especially badly. Plants planted in such soil lag behind in development due to lack of oxygen. And buildings erected on clay soil are regularly flooded in the spring and begin to collapse from high humidity.

A well-organized drainage system, consisting of special ditches and drains, will help to solve the problem of removing excess moisture. If the site has a large area, it is necessary to make preliminary calculations and determine the location of the drainage trenches. At the same time, the natural slopes of the landscape are necessarily taken into account, which facilitate the transportation of drainage water to a nearby reservoir or a special well.

clay soil

Experts advise, first of all, after acquiring a site, determine the type of soil. The presence of sandy or black earth soils greatly facilitates the task of the builders of a new house or avid gardeners. But clay, as mentioned above, is the biggest enemy of plants and foundations of residential buildings, as well as outbuildings.

Water on such soil lingers for a long time, thereby delivering a lot of problems to the owners of the site, ranging from discomfort (sticky mud accompanies them literally on every square meter) to serious economic damage. If there is a lawn near the house, it will suffer first of all - dried clay is covered with a hard crust that is difficult to loosen. Because of this, the grass begins to wither and dry. And during prolonged downpours, the root system rots - the lawn turns into a swamp.