What is an essential consideration when building on compressible soils?

When building on compressible soils, one essential consideration is to remove the compressible layers. Compressible soils, such as clay or loose, organic soils, can undergo significant settlement over time when subjected to weight, which can compromise the integrity of structures built on them. By removing these layers, the foundation can be placed on more stable soils, minimizing the risk of settlement and creating a more robust support for the structure.

While increasing footing size, conducting soil testing, and implementing drainage solutions are indeed important strategies when dealing with various soil conditions, they do not address the fundamental issue of compressibility directly as effectively as removing the compressible layers does. Increased footing size can help distribute loads but may not eliminate the potential for movement if the underlying soil remains problematic. Conducting soil testing is crucial for identifying soil properties but does not alter the site conditions. Implementing drainage solutions can mitigate moisture issues in certain soils but does not resolve the inherent compressible nature of the soil itself. Therefore, the most effective approach in this scenario is to remove the compressible layers before proceeding with construction.