How to drain a clay area. How to make house foundation drainage with your own hands on clay soils. Video: drainage work in a difficult area

The inability to engage in gardening and gardening, deterioration of the landscape, erosion of the foundations of buildings - this is what is fraught with regular flooding of the territory with soil and. The most vulnerable areas are in difficult clay soils, which due to their density are difficult for water to pass through. How to cope with such a scourge? Only one option will help here - quality. You can’t do without it especially on clay soil with a high water level, so if you happen to be the owner of just such a plot, further instructions on organizing a drainage system with your own hands with a diagram and video just for you. So, why is drainage so important and how to do it correctly? Let's figure it out.

Specifics of clayey areas

If you still doubt the need for mandatory drainage on clay soil with a high water level, becoming familiar with the specifics of this type of soil will free you from any hesitation. As already noted, clay does not allow moisture to pass through well, so the latter lingers in the upper layers of the soil for a long time, thereby causing a lot of problems.

Firstly, due to the fact that the clay is in a wet state almost all year round, drying out only in hot weather summer period, all plants planted directly on the ground suffer from an excess of water: their root system does not receive enough oxygen and begins to waste away.

Secondly, wet clay is almost impossible to dig up, which makes caring for planted crops very difficult.

In clay soils, drainage is essential.

Thirdly, since the water does not drain away for a long time, it violates the waterproofing of the foundations of the house and outbuildings of the site, which leads to flooding in the warm season, and to freezing in the cold season.

Do you want to protect yourself from all these problems? Then do not put off the issue of organizing a drainage system for a long time.

Preparing for drainage installation

The most important key to the successful arrangement of a drainage system on clay soil with increased level water – properly executed preparatory stage. Here we highlight three main steps.

Drafting. The drainage plan for the territory should include the following data:

• position of trenches taking into account bends and slopes;
• position of inspection and water intake wells;
• direction of water movement;
• dimensions of all system components.

Drainage selection. On clay soil, two types of drainage can be organized: 1) surface - open option a system that is installed with a relatively small depth into the ground; 2) deep – more complex closed version drainage, which involves deepening the mains by at least 50 cm.

Advice. Surface drainage system – great option For small plots with a natural slope of the terrain. If you have a large area with several buildings at your disposal, it is better to choose deep drainage.

Procurement of tools and working materials. To install the drainage system you will need:

• with a diameter from 75 to 110 mm - plastic with perforation;
• fittings and couplings;
• geotextiles for filtration;
• wells – inspection and receiving;
• sand and gravel;

Drainage scheme

• hacksaw;
• tamping;
• shovel;
• wheelbarrow for transporting building materials;
• level.

Organization of surface drainage

Surface drainage can be backfill or tray. In both cases, installation begins according to the general scheme:

• Mark the area for drainage and install a water intake well at the lowest point. Dig trenches along the perimeter of the marked working area with a slope of about 30 degrees towards the water intake. The optimal depth is 50 cm, width is 50-60 cm.
• Lead all trenches to a common ditch, which will go to the drainage basin.
• Pour a 10 cm layer of fine sand into the trench and compact it thoroughly.

Advice. To test the effectiveness of the trench system, carry out a simple experiment: pour water into the ditches one by one and watch whether it flows in the right direction - to the receiving well. If deviations in movement are observed, adjust the angle of the walls of the problem trenches.

• Place geotextiles in the ditches.
• Fill the trenches with crushed stone: fill 2/3 of the depth with large material, and the remaining 1/3 with small material.
• Cover the layer of fine crushed stone with turf.

Preparing the trench

In turn, laying the tray drainage continues according to the following scheme:

• Prepare trays, concrete or plastic, to match the width of the trenches.
• Fill the trench with a 10 cm layer of fine crushed stone.
• Pour cement onto the crushed stone and immediately install trays on it.
• Attach sand traps at the end of the mounted trays.
• Cover the trays with durable decorative grilles.

Deep drainage device

Organization algorithm deep drainage on difficult clay soil with high water levels:

1. Mark the area and choose the most appropriate place for installing a water intake. On the designated working area, dig ditches: depth - 100-120 cm, width - 50 cm. Slope to the drainage basin - 30 degrees.
2. Pour a 10 cm layer of fine sand into the trench and then compact it.
3. Place geotextiles in the ditches - it should cover the walls of the ditches and extend onto their sides.
4. Place a 15 cm layer of fine-grained crushed stone on the geofabric.
5. Place on crushed stone plastic pipes- must be perforated downwards. Lay pipes in all trenches, connecting them with couplings and fittings. Install inspection wells at the turns of drainage lines - they should rise above the ground.
6. Cover the pipes with fine crushed stone and wrap the free edges of the geotextile so that you get a kind of cocoon.
7. Fill the remaining trench gaps with sand.
8. Cover the trenches with soil. Wait until it settles and add another layer of soil on top, leveling the trenches to ground level. Place a layer of turf on top.

Drainage arrangement

When the drainage pipes are installed, start organizing the water intake. In its role it can be used as a ready-made plastic container, and a self-assembled well from reinforced concrete rings. The average diameter of the collector is 1-1.5 m. The water receiver must be installed in a shallow hole and secured there with supports.

As you can see, organizing drainage on clay soil with a high level of groundwater does not involve any highly complex processes. The main thing in this matter is to decide on the drainage option and strictly follow the rules for its organization. And the reward for your efforts will not be long in coming - you will finally forget about constant flooding and will be able to enjoy a full life on your site.

Site drainage: video

Drainage on the site: photo

If the soil around the house consists of loam and clay, then in the spring and after rains the territory of the estate turns into a small swamp. It needs to be drained somehow and quickly, otherwise the plants will rot and the foundation will begin to fall apart. Let's figure out how to drain an area on clay soil in order to quickly remove excess water from it.

Excess moisture in the soil leads to oxygen starvation of plants. The roots do not receive the required amount of oxygen, which inevitably leads to the death of the greenery. This problem affects trees, shrubs and lawn grass. Without effective drainage, not a single plant will survive in a clay area; water will destroy everything.

Herringbone drainage system – best option For small area

Soil with excess moisture is an ideal incubator for all kinds of slugs and snails. And which gardener needs these pests that feed garden plantings? Plus, waterlogged soil is a direct threat to the foundation of the house. No waterproofing layer will save the foundation of a building under constant exposure to water.

Clay itself does not allow moisture to pass through, and if the site is also in a lowland, then a drainage system will have to be installed. Otherwise not only future harvest, but the owner of the house also risks drowning in the mud.

How to determine whether the soil is clay or not

It is possible to accurately assess the characteristics of the soil only after appropriate research, which should be carried out by a professional hydrogeologist. An option is possible when the clay does not protrude to the surface, but lies in a continuous layer at a shallow depth. The soil on top seems to be good, but literally after half a meter a clay layer begins, which does not want to drain moisture further into the soil.

Only the degree of permeability of the earth can be approximately determined. To do this, just dig a hole half a meter deep and pour water into it. If after a couple of days the recess turns out to be dry, then the area can do without additional drainage. Otherwise, it will definitely have to be drained.

Draining a clay area with your own hands

There are two main ways to make drainage in a clay area:

1. Using a surface drainage system from trays.
2. Through deep drainage with the installation of perforated drain pipes.

The first option will allow you to divert only melted and rainwater. Only a buried system can cope with the moisture that is already in the soil.

Scheme for draining an area with clay soil

Wells, trays and pipes can be made of concrete, asbestos cement or iron. But the most practical material– plastic. You can now purchase the entire set of various system elements from cross-linked polyethylene storm sewer, all that remains is to put them together.

Advice! Pipes, storm water inlets, wells and storm gutters are best purchased from cross-linked polyethylene. It tolerates frosts calmly and does not crack during frosts.

The choice of drainage type depends on:

• the owner’s financial capabilities;
• area and relief land plot;
• estimated precipitation volumes;
• soil structures at different depths.

In any case, you first need to prepare a design plan for the drainage system based on the area and purchase all the necessary building materials.

What is needed to build a water drainage system

To drain an area with clay soil, you will need the following tools:

1. Shovels for digging pits for wells and trenches for drains.
2. Garden wheelbarrow.
3. A hacksaw or jigsaw for cutting pipes.
4. Twine cord for marking.
5. Construction bubble level

You should also stock up in advance:

• fine gravel with sand;
• pipes with a diameter of 110 mm with perforation (you can take ordinary sewer pipes and drill holes in them);
• geotextile material for wrapping perforated pipelines;
• pipe fittings;
• gutters, sand traps and storm water inlets (plastic or concrete);
• factory-assembled well structures.

Installation of surface drainage

Open drainage This is easiest to do on clay soil. If the groundwater lies deep enough, then it is quite enough for drainage local area. In terms of labor costs and finances, this option is optimal.

Scheme of surface storm drainage from individual elements

A system of collecting and discharging water trays for surface drainage is laid with a slope from the house to the lowest point of the site, where a septic tank or infiltrator is installed. From the septic tank, the clarified liquid is discharged into a roadside ditch, a nearby reservoir or a street storm drain.

The main thing when planning a drainage system is to maximum benefit use the terrain of the site. If it has a slope, then this is just an ideal case. It will be enough to dig ditches along this slope and lay trays in them at an angle to the lowest point.

Open drainage can be made in the form of landscaped gutters made of stone

Installation of surface drainage in a clay area is carried out in five stages:

1. Digging trenches according to the designed pattern up to half a meter deep.
2. Filling the bottom of the ditches with a sand and gravel cushion 15–20 cm thick.
3. Laying trays at a slope of 2–5 degrees to the water intake.
4. Covering storm gutters from leaves and debris with metal gratings.
5. Installation of an infiltrator with drainage into the soil below a layer of clay or storage tank with pump.

After completing all the work, all that remains is to check the functionality of the storm drain by running water into it from a hose.

Deep drainage device

A buried drainage system is formed from a main pipeline and perforated pipes connected to it. The main line can be made alone - in the middle of the site, then the drains are connected to it in a herringbone pattern. Or it is laid along the fence along the border of the estate, and all drainage pipes are connected to this perimeter.

To lay pipelines, you need trenches 35–40 cm wide and up to one and a half meters deep (depending on the level groundwater and soil freezing points). At their bottom, a 15-centimeter cushion of sand and crushed stone is made and geotextiles are spread to protect the perforation from clogging.

Then another 10–20 cm of gravel is poured onto the geotextile substrate and drains are laid on it, which are then sprinkled with crushed stone and covered with geofabric on top. As a result, the drainage pipe with perforation should end up in gravel on all sides and wrapped around it with geotextile.

Distance and depth of drains in various soils

Important! Perforated pipes without geotextile wrapping on clay soils will quickly clog. Needle punching geofabric - required element deep drainage in a clayey area.

When arranging drainage in areas with clay buds, in addition to the usual non-woven fabric, you can use bulk shells made of coconut fiber to wrap the pipes. Drains with them are sold ready for installation.

Layout diagram of drainage perforated pipes

Inspection and storage wells can be made from:

• bricks;
• reinforced concrete;
• plastic.

If the pipes for the drainage system are plastic, then it is also better to use all wells and septic tanks from a similar material. It’s easier to take care of them later and make repairs if necessary.

Video: drainage work in a difficult area

The combination of deep and surface drainage systems is guaranteed to drain even a wetland. Such drainage of clay soils has been tested over years of practice. Its installation is simple, and seasonal inspections and washings are sufficient as part of the maintenance. But it is better to entrust the design of the drainage system experienced specialist. There are many nuances and without specialized knowledge it is difficult to correctly calculate the laying depth, slope, and diameter of pipes.

Clay soil on the site is not a gift, especially in the spring, when it is flooded with meltwater. But even such an area can be brought back to normal. In this article we will tell you how to do it.

• Features of drainage on the site for clay soil;
• How to plan a drainage system;
• How to make a buried drainage system;
• How to make a surface drainage system.

Why do drainage on clay soil?

Clay soil is a good enough reason to install a drainage system first thing after purchasing a plot. The design of the drainage system is made on the basis of geological and geodetic studies. FORUMHOUSE members They often carry out such work independently. The composition of the soil can be studied visually by digging a hole at least one and a half meters deep (this is the average depth of soil freezing).

At FORUMHOUSE you can also find out how to do it yourself. The closer they come to the surface, the worse it is for the site and its owner: if the groundwater level is 0.5 meters below the base of the foundation, the water must be drained by placing drainage pipes 25-30 cm below the groundwater level. With a high groundwater level without drainage, the area remains wet almost all year round.

Tamara Nikolaev Architect, member of FORUMHOUSE

First you need to determine the groundwater level; if it is less than 2.5 m, drainage is necessary.

But in the case of clay soils, groundwater another misfortune is added: surface water that accumulates in low areas of the site. Such puddles are the first sign that there is a large layer of clay in the soil on your site, which does not allow water to pass through well.

Surface water is not high water. FORUMHOUSE has detailed analysis all live to the owner of the site.

So, a user of our portal with the nickname Brainy encountered this problem: after rains and downpours, there are puddles in the lower part of his site for weeks, and it seems that they are not absorbed into the hard, cement-like soil, but are evaporating.

A simple home test: a hole a little more than half a meter deep is dug in the area and 5-7 buckets of water are poured into it. If the water does not go into the ground within 24 hours, in addition to drainage, the site will need storm system, which will remove the high water.

Water that is poorly absorbed into clay soil harms plantings, lawns, and building foundations; In addition, constant dampness attracts mosquitoes. The problem may be aggravated by the location of the site: if it is in a lowland, all the surrounding waters will flow into your territory.

Therefore, a house on a site with clay soil is protected not only by drainage and storm water, but also by layered clay soil.

Drainage plan

When planning a drainage system, it is necessary to take into account the nearby ditches, holes, etc. - after all, we are not going to build a house in an open field; most likely, there will be a place to drain the water. It is also necessary to decide whether we will drain the entire area or divert water from the base and foundation. Draining an entire area, especially a large one, is always a costly and troublesome undertaking; it may make sense to divide the task into several subtasks and first ensure a dry area around the house.

Local wall drainage for draining the foundation is installed 1.5-2.5 m from the house, laying the building pipes 100 mm below the basement waterproofing level.

The plan of the drainage system indicates where the trenches go, what their slope is, where they connect into the main line that goes to the water intake well, where they are made.

Drainage is designed from the top down and built from the bottom up.

When drawing up a plan, you should remember that with buried drainage, it is not allowed to lay pipes where a car and other heavy equipment can drive: the soil in this place will inevitably sag and damage the car. In such places, only drainage by storm sewer is allowed.

Storm sewer consists of shallow ditches without pipes directed to a well that collects water. Plastic trays can be inserted into these shallow trenches and covered with special gratings.

With buried drainage They make a system of deep trenches 30-50 cm wide, in which drain pipes with holes of 1.5 -55 mm are installed around the entire circumference. Drains with a diameter of 10 cm are considered the most convenient. Some of them are equipped with shells made of filtering materials.

A buried drainage system is formed from the main main pipeline and perforated pipes that are connected to it.

The main pipe is either made in the center of the site, and the drains are connected to it in a herringbone pattern, or laid along the perimeter of the site 25-30 cm below the groundwater level.

This is an expensive scheme that is used in the most difficult cases, when the area resembles a continuous swamp until mid-summer.

Evan

You need to dig from the water intake - storm drain, ravine or storage drainage chamber and up the slope. The drainage is placed in a dry trench.

How to make buried drainage of a clay area

Here is one of the popular and practice-tested drainage systems from Tamara Nikolaev.

1. We compact the bottom of a deep (120 cm) trench.
2. Add a layer of coarse washed river sand– 10 cm. The layer is leveled in accordance with the slope angle, carefully compacting.
3. We lay drainage pipes. They are attached to each other with socket or coupling connections.

By building regulations minimum slope drainage pipes should be 2 cm per linear meter; in practice for good drain make 5-10 cm per linear meter.

If the site has a sufficient natural slope, the depth of the trenches up to the well itself remains the same. For pipes different diameters different slope depths are required: the larger the diameter, the smaller the slope. Thus, the minimum slope for turf with a diameter of 10 cm is 2 cm per linear meter.

Evan FORUMHOUSE Member

Pipes in a geotextile filter are not placed in clay soil. A silted pipe can be washed, but the layer of silt on the surface of the geotextile cannot be removed. Pipes in a geotextile filter are placed in sandy, gravelly soils without clay particles.

1. For good penetration moisture into the pipe in the trench, sprinkle it with permeable materials, such as washed granite crushed stone or gravel fraction 20-40.
2. The fabric is made of geotextile. GT is needed to separate the layers, and it must be polypropylene, since polyester quickly decomposes in the ground.
3. Add a layer of coarse sand.

The thickness of the layers of gravel and sand is from 10 to 30 cm. The denser and more waterproof the clay, the thicker the backfill layer.

1. Let's fill this pie fertile soil from the trenches.

Oss

I did this (soil-clay): pour sand into the trench, then geotextiles, then 5-10 cm of crushed stone of fraction 20-40, washed from sand, then a drainage pipe (remove the GT from it, it is not needed on it), crushed stone again on top about 20-30 cm, then we close the geotextile and put the earth on top. That's it, the drainage is ready.

To monitor the operation of the drainage and, if necessary, clean the pipes, inspection wells are made in the system.

Evan

Wells at every turn (allowed after one at high frequency installations) - the norm of the Moscow Architecture Committee Guidelines, Directive 48 of November 20, 2000 and many earlier ones. We hide the wells under lawn grates and other methods of decoration.

From the pipes, water must flow into a water intake well, which is made at the lowest point of the relief, and accumulate there to a certain level. To install it, they dig a hole 2-3 meters deep; concrete rings install from the very bottom.

The water level in the water intake well depends on the depth of the drainage pipes and on how the water will be drained in the future: usually it is either taken for irrigation or discharged into a ditch outside the site.

How to make surface drainage of a clay area

Let's make a reservation: " surface drainage“Experts consider this term to be incorrect; building codes use the term “storm drainage.”

The storm sewer system cannot remove water from clay soil, but it does not allow the formation of puddles on its surface - the water will not stagnate, but will immediately flow into the well.

For such a system, ditches are made about 80 cm deep, the same as in a buried system - on a slope. The bottom is covered with a layer of sand (10 cm), which compacts well, and a layer of crushed stone (about 30 cm). You can go further by filling the layers with concrete and placing plastic trays.

The cause of surface water is the stagnation of melt and rainwater in uneven terrain and the accumulation of this water in the upper layer of soil. That is, an additional measure should be adding soil to all local depressions, so that the most uniform slope is formed throughout the entire area for water drainage.

Correctly performed rollover - best prevention appearance of surface water.

Member FORUMHOUSE da4hik I bought a plot of land, opened up the floor to replace it and saw a small pool there: strip foundation was completely filled with water. It had been raining for almost ten hours the day before.

The first thing our user did was to dig a hole about 70 cm deep under the floor, which corresponded to the size of the found case from small refrigerator. I poured sand and some crushed stone on the bottom. In a housing for better filling additional holes were made. At the bottom of the body I attached a siphon from the sink, onto which I put a thick rubber pipe with a diameter of about 60 cm, passed it under the foundation and made a trench towards the slope, where at the end of the site a brick water intake well remained from the old owner.

Now, after rains, all the water drains from under the foundation. And this drainage system not only removes water from under the house, but also works to partially drain the area. True, now the summer resident has to water more often, but this is a much lesser evil.

Groundwater and meltwater can cause serious problems. This is especially true for loamy and clayey areas of soil, since this type of soil prevents the passage of water, which leads to rotting of plant roots. In this case, you can do the drainage of the site on clay soils with your own hands.

Since clay and loam do not allow water to pass through well, it accumulates in the soil, causing plant roots to begin to rot. However, covering with a fertile layer of soil does not correct the situation.

If on peat soil or clay does not have a drain or drainage system, then a little rain is enough for the area country house or the dacha turned into a swamp. It is impossible to work on such land for a long time, in addition, there is a high probability that the foundation will flood or freeze when cold weather sets in.

You should not place high hopes on waterproofing, since its integrity can be destroyed by frozen water.

As mentioned above, the exit to in this case only one - the creation of a drainage system.

Preparatory stage

Before you begin choosing the type of drainage system, it is necessary to subject the area to a thorough analysis, namely:

• determine the structure of the soil;
• Find out what is causing the high humidity.

Based on the results of the analysis, the type of drainage system is selected. Next, you need to draw up a plan that indicates where and at what depth the installations will be located. various elements drainage systems. After this, construction can begin.

Types of drainage systems

For soil in which clay predominates, layer, surface or deep drainage options can be used. In some cases, it makes sense to use several types together to increase drainage efficiency. Let's look at each type in detail.

Surface drainage systems

This type is ideal when the site is located on a natural slope. For drainage, channels are created slightly deepened in the ground, through which water flows independently into the drainage well. They can be laid on any flat surface, for example, along the perimeter of the building, near sidewalk path or around the lawn.

Gutters are placed in the channel; they can be covered with a protective grille on top.

Deep water drainage systems

If it is necessary to drain a large volume of water on clay soil, it is recommended to give preference to deep drainage systems. They are systems underground pipelines, serving to divert water to accumulation points.

Deep systems can include from one to several main drainage channels directed to a common reservoir. Their depth varies from 1 to 1.5 m, while their width does not exceed 50 cm. Drainage system pipes are installed in the channels. Auxiliary lines are connected to the main line, collecting water from the soil surface.

How the deep drainage trench is constructed is shown in the figure.

The figure indicates:

• A – layer fertile soil(thickness 20cm);
• B – backfill soil (20cm);
• C – this layer is filled with crushed stone (30cm);
• D – pipe with a diameter of 110 mm;
• E – geotextile covering;
• F – “pillow” made of sand;
• G – soil.

Formative drainage systems

This type of drainage system, like the previous type, is classified as deep. It is used when there is a need to drain groundwater from a building (foundation). It is installed directly under the building. The drainage system is a layer of crushed stone from which water is drained into pipes laid around the building.

It should be noted that the size of this system must exceed the area of ​​the building under which it is located.

List of tools and materials

For independent creation of drainage on the soil clay type You will need to prepare the following tools:

• shovels (they are used for laying ditches);
• level (to check the slope);
• stretcher or wheelbarrow (with their help soil is removed);
• hacksaw for cutting pipes;
• cord for marking.

From materials for surface systems you will need:

• geotextiles, it serves as a filter for water that will flow into the drainage system;
• to create a sprinkle and pillow you will need sand and gravel;
• gutters made of concrete or plastic, as well as sand traps and storm water inlets;
• cement.

If you plan to make a deep system, you will additionally need special (perforated) plastic pipes with a diameter of 100 to 110 mm, as well as elements for connecting them.

Video: How to make soil drainage in a dacha garden

If you do not want to make a storage well with your own hands, into which water will flow from the drainage in an area with clay soil, you can purchase a ready-made reservoir (the price for it is quite affordable).

Self-created surface system

The sequence of actions is as follows:

• trenches are dug according to the drawn up drainage system plan. In this case, it is necessary to maintain a slope towards the disposal site drainage water. This action is greatly simplified if the site has a natural slope. It is enough to dig a trench 80 cm deep and 40 cm wide;
• At the bottom of the trenches, a “cushion” of sand is made, which is covered with a layer of crushed stone; if desired, turf can be placed on top, after which the system can be operated.

If you plan to install a gutter in the trenches, you can make them less deep. In this case, the crushed stone is poured cement mortar, on which gutters and other elements (rain inlets, sand traps, etc.) are installed. The gutter is closed from above with a special protective grille, which can play the role of decoration.

Independent creation of a deep system

Arrangement of this type drainage will take longer. Its creation begins with the installation of a collector well, after which they begin to lay the main and auxiliary lines.

The depth of the trenches should be 1.2 m for the main drainage system and about a meter for auxiliary (additional) channels. The width is sufficient 50cm, both for the first and second.

It is important that the main channels reach the drainage well. Auxiliary trenches should have a slope of about five centimeters per meter. The bottom of the trench is covered with sand to create a cushion. Geotextiles are laid on top of it, as well as along the edges of the trench, after which the channel is filled with a 20-centimeter layer of crushed stone.

At the next stage, perforated plastic pipes are laid. Do not forget to check the slope with the level.

Where the pipes are turned, as well as at intervals of 25 meters, inspection wells are installed.

On last stage the pipes are covered with crushed stone, wrapped in geotextiles, after which the ditch is leveled to the same level as the soil.

As you can see, it is quite possible to do the drainage of a site on clay soils with your own hands, even if it takes some time. certain time, but in any case, the cost will be lower than hiring builders for this purpose.

When designing and building a house, it is important to take into account the characteristics of the soil. This applies both to their composition, bearing capacity, and to the availability of ground and surface waters. Wet soil is more susceptible to heaving, which leads to deformation of the foundation. In addition to the direct groundwater that reaches the foundation from deep in the soil, surface moisture that enters the soil from the atmosphere also negatively affects structures.

Water drainage systems

problem high level Water issues on the site need to be addressed comprehensively. To begin with, it is important to conduct geological surveys to determine the level of groundwater and its presence in the soil. To do this, arrange a number of pits, in each of which the level of accumulated moisture is measured. This data will be required in the future for design and drainage.

In general, two types of drainage are arranged on the site:

• surface, which is a storm drain;
• deep - to reduce the groundwater level.

Surface drainage is a system of elements through which atmospheric water is collected in special trays and ditches and discharged into the nearest reservoirs, storm drainage network or into the soil. Water is collected from roofs through gutters and from the ground surface itself.

Deep drainage is also called drainage system plot. They are located under the ground surface and are a system of pipelines, the water from which is also discharged outside the territory. Drainage in clay soil is especially important because this soil is unable to absorb water.

Features of clay soils

With well-structured soil, water that appears in excess is itself drained from the surface and from the thickness of the base. Otherwise it is necessary special events. Clay foundations are dangerous because surface water unable to absorb them. In some cases, this leads to swampy areas. This makes it difficult to use for agricultural purposes, and also leads to the constant threat of basements getting wet and foundations collapsing.

Special drainage requirements must be established in the following cases:

• For heavy clay soils. Such land is subject to waterlogging for long periods of time. This is especially dangerous in regions with prolonged precipitation.
• Medium structured soils in regions with big amount precipitation. These are light clays and loams, which are generally capable of absorbing some moisture.

How to properly make drainage in a clay area and what materials are used for this? Let's look at this question in more detail.

Materials

What materials are needed for the job? The main element of drainage is a pipe. The system uses perforated tubes into which moisture seeps from the soil. The pipes are laid at an angle and connected to the main channel. Through which water is drained into a well or reservoir. In general, the design of deep drainage, regardless of the scope of application (protection of the foundation, use on agricultural land to protect plants from excess moisture) consists of the following elements:

1. Water intake. For these purposes, either natural formations (rivers, lakes, canals) are used, or wells are installed. For small areas, wells that receive water from collectors are more often used. From the wells themselves, water seeps into the soil if it is capable of accepting moisture at depth, or is pumped out by pumps as it fills into natural reservoirs.
2. Main channel. It is laid from the highest point of the site to the lowest. All the water flows down this channel collected by the system moisture. For small systems drainage is not used.
3. Closed collectors. These are pipelines that collect moisture from several drainage pipes.
4. Inspection wells.
5. Drainage pipelines.

Plastic products, ceramic perforated or asbestos cement pipes with cuts. Nowadays they are used more often perforated pipes made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyethylene (PE). PE pipes are more flexible, which expands their scope of application. Specialized drainage pipelines have pre-fabricated perforations. Filtration systems made of coconut fiber or geotextile are used for them.

The main advantages of plastic drainage pipelines:

• ease;
• ease of installation;
• the corrugated wall of the pipe allows you to protect the perforation from the adhesion of dirt;
• flexibility of application.

How to drain a foundation on clay soil? Let us consider the step-by-step implementation of such a system in a problem area.

Drainage device on clay soil

Before starting work, it is necessary to carry out some calculations and select a design and materials used. For small areas you can do this yourself:

1. First of all, the relief and slopes are determined. To do this, you need to study the topographic plan or take measurements using a level. It is important to determine the highest and lowest points on the surface of the site.
2. A main canal is laid on the site plan. It is placed from the highest point to the lowest. If the area is without a slope, then the channel is routed arbitrarily. In this case, it is important to create a slope artificially.
3. Drainage pipelines are laid in such a way that the distance between them is no more than 10 meters, and they flow downhill into the main canal.
4. Determine water collection areas. To do this, use natural and artificial ditches outside the site or arrange other elements. For example, bodies of water. It could be decorative pond. Prefabricated wells are also often used. In this case, the water from them is pumped out by drainage pumps. There is also the option that there will be sandy soil at the bottom of the well, which can absorb accumulated moisture.

After preparation and planning, they begin to construct the drainage of the site on clay soils with their own hands:

1. Execute excavation. To do this, trenches are dug for main and drainage pipelines. The depth of the trench is selected depending on the lower level of the foundation. On average, they are located at a depth of 1-1.5 m. If you are planning a house with a basement, then the drainage pipes must be buried below the level of the basement floor. The width of the trench is 0.3-0.4 m. Do not forget about the slope. In addition to the main canal, it is also necessary for the main drainage pipes at the rate of 1 cm of slope per 1 m of canal or pipeline.
2. In the places of wells, holes are dug for the dimensions of the products.
3. The bottom of the trench is lined with geotextiles.
4. Crushed stone (10-20 cm) is poured onto the geotextile.
5. Next, the pipelines are located directly.
6. If necessary, drainage pumps and pipelines from them are installed in wells outside the site.
7. After installation, do not immediately fill the system with soil. It needs to be checked. To do this, wait for precipitation or use water from a hose. Water flow through all pipelines should be checked. If necessary, change the slope or lay additional pipes between the designed ones.

After inspection, the trenches are backfilled. The system is ready to use! Don't forget about regular maintenance and cleaning drainage wells, storm drains and channels. The system is designed to operate for many years.