Unruh Excavating provides soil stabilization and modification for commercial and industrial construction sites. In areas where the natural soil isn’t ideal for supporting pavement or building foundations, mixing in binding agents is a cost-effective way to create a stronger and more stable subgrade. Pavement engineers and contractors count on us to complete jobs within budget and on time. We serve Kansas including McPherson, Harvey, Marion, Reno, and Sedgwick counties.
What is Soil Stabilization?
Soil stabilization is the process of changing a soil to meet an engineering need. Typically, the goal is to improve the soil’s shear strength and weight-bearing capabilities, as well as to control swelling and shrinking. The result is a stable subgrade that’s strong enough to support roads, sidewalks and building foundations.
Soil Stabilization vs Undercutting
Subgrade undercutting is a process that involves excavating subgrade materials that are less desirable and then replacing them with aggregates that will create a more stable base.
For example, soil with a high content of clay or silt are prone to water retention. Pavement installed on this type of subgrade is typically more susceptible to frost-heave. Excavating this soil and then replacing it with one that has a higher sand and gravel content will provide better drainage and make a more stable base for pavement.
Both undercutting and soil stabilization can accomplish the same goal of creating a stronger subgrade. However, the time and cost of excavating existing soil, trucking it out and then hauling in and spreading replacement soil makes undercutting a much more expensive and time-consuming process. Therefore, it’s typically only used in the area where the structure or pavement will be.
Soil stabilization, on the other hand, is much more efficient in terms of labor and costs, so it can easily be applied to an entire project site.
Benefits of Soil Stabilization
In situations where there is a need to improve subgrade strength or reduce the amount of shrink-swell fluctuation, soil stabilization can be an effective and affordable solution. Benefits include:
- Increase subgrade shear strength
- Improve load bearing capacity
- Assist with compaction
- Allow for reduced pavement thickness
- Faster production
- Less water permeability
- Limit the amount of shrink-swell fluctuation
- Reduce the likelihood of frost-heaving
- Improved structural integrity
- Better weather resistance
- Significant cost savings compared to other solutions
Contact us today to discuss the excavation site prep needs for your project. 
