Expansive Clay Soils
By: Mark Clippinger, P.E. Expansive clays, often called high shrink-swell soils, are soils that exhibit significant volume change or impose swell pressure as a result of changes in moisture content. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that 25% of all U.S. homes have some damage from these types of soils. They cause billions of dollars in damage annually to foundations, pipes, and roads, are causing more financial loss than floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes combined with estimated losses reaching $15 billion annually! This includes cracked foundations, bowing basement walls, and “stair-step” cracks in brickwork. Movement caused by expansive clays often…
Learning Through Experience: How Civil Engineering Continues to Shape My Perspective
By: Laura Amaya Staff Engineer Civil engineering is often viewed as a technical profession shaped by standards, specifications, and design requirements. While those elements are essential, much of how engineers approach their work develops through exposure to real projects and changing conditions. Experience adds context to technical knowledge and helps shape how decisions are evaluated and challenges are approached. With time, it becomes clear that growth in civil engineering is closely tied to hands-on involvement rather than reaching a single endpoint. Through my experience, I’ve started to notice how much the practice of civil engineering extends beyond plans, calculations, and…