News Release

February 02, 2023 – You can’t build a great building on a weak foundation, and it is true that soils matter. The Soil Science Society of America’s SSSA) February 1st Soils Matter blog explores what type of soils provide good foundations for buildings.

According to Larry Baldwin, “building foundations need to be on stable and strong soils. Soils range in strength. Some soils can support a skyscraper, while other soils are not able to support the weight of a human.” Baldwin is a professional soil scientist.

Soils vary in strength and stability based on their physical properties. A mix of soil particle size is best for engineering. Good soil should also have the ability to capture precipitation, so that runoff and erosion do not damage structures. Finally, good soils for infrastructure have balanced chemistry so no building material corrosion occurs.

To read the entire blog, please visit: https://soilsmatter.wordpress.com/2015/05/01/what-type-of-soil-is-good-for-a-foundation-for-buildings-or-houses/

Follow SSSA on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SSSA.soils, Twitter at SSSA_Soils. SSSA has soils information on www.soils.org/discover-soils, for teachers at www.soils4teachers.org, and for students through 12th grade, www.soils4kids.org.

The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) is a progressive international scientific society that fosters the transfer of knowledge and practices to sustain global soils. Based in Madison, WI, and founded in 1936, SSSA is the professional home for 6,000+ members and 1,000+ certified professionals dedicated to advancing the field of soil science. The Society provides information about soils in relation to crop production, environmental quality, ecosystem sustainability, bioremediation, waste management, recycling, and wise land use.