4 Reasons Why Your Concrete Sinks and Cracks

Concrete is a tough material, which is why it is widely used in constructing many things, from sidewalks and driveways to home foundations and walls. But concrete is vulnerable to wear, tear, and damage. 

Exterior concrete is especially problematic. It can showcase its damage in many ways, including sinking and unevenness. When concrete slabs do not line up because they are sinking, this makes your property look bad and is a safety hazard. 

How does this happen? What can be done to fix it? This article explains why the concrete around your home may be sinking and how local concrete leveling experts at Ohio Basement Authority can help. 

1.

Improper Installation and Materials 

When noticing problems with concrete, some people may be quick to blame those who installed it. This is not as common, but issues can arise with the original installation of concrete and the materials used.

Concrete is a mixture of cement, water, and aggregates like sand or gravel. Problems can result if the wrong amounts are used, the concrete is not poured evenly, or it isn’t properly cured or cut. 

2.

Excess Weight 

Concrete is strong but to a point. If too much weight is consistently placed on concrete slabs, they can begin to give way and sink.

This is common in driveways and garages, especially if a heavy vehicle is parked there for an extended period of time. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average vehicle weighs more than 4,100 pounds. This could mean a lot of stress for your property’s concrete. 

3.

Soil 

The most common cause at the heart of sinking concrete problems is the soil underneath the slabs.

Different soil types have different drainage properties. Soil that is too well-drained can easily wash away and erode. Others, like expansive clay, may hold onto water and constantly swell and shrink. Either way, the soil cannot properly support the slabs and will leave voids underneath them.

There is a variety of soil types throughout Ohio, and the official state soil is known as Miamian, a type of loam soil common to Columbus, Cincinnati, and Lima, that is made up of fair amounts of the three main soil ingredients—sand, clay, and silt. However, other areas are notorious for soil with significant clay content. 

4.

The Weather 

The weather also plays a significant role in the condition of your concrete and the underlying soil. Central and Southern Ohio areas commonly experience heavy rain in spring and fall. Summers also can be quite wet, and winters have decent snow that leads to saturating snowmelts. Droughts are rare, but dry spells can cause soil to dry out and shrink. 

Exterior concrete structures like sidewalks, driveways, and patios bear the brunt of Mother Nature’s wrath. Not only does excess water under and around the concrete impact its structural integrity, but water also can easily pool in areas with sinking, uneven slabs. 

Sinking concrete slabs can be complex, but they also have a simple solution. The earlier you notice this problem, the easier it is to fix it with a state-of-the-art repair method.

To get to the heart of the problem with your concrete slabs and properly support them, the best way to address them is concrete lifting with PolyRenewal™ polyurethane injections.

This lightweight yet durable foam is injected underneath the slabs through small holes that are drilled. Once the foam expands and hardens (typically within 30 minutes), it lifts the slabs back toward their original positions.