The construction of high-rise buildings and shopping centers is not complete without pouring the foundation. But in order for the preparatory work to take place in a short time, and the foundation to dry well, pits or trenches are needed that are used for these purposes. Most people come across the concept of "trench" most often in construction use and few people remember that such pits have deep historical roots.
A little background
The Middle Ages is the time of jousting, romantic love stories and widespread struggle for territory. Each castle or any fortification was separated by a deep moat or trench filled with water.
In order to survive and protect relatives from death at the hands of enemies, the owners of fortresses spent a lot of money to maintain them in working condition. At that time, the trench was not a whim and not part of the architect's idea of the builders, but a thing necessary for survival.
By the beginning of the twentieth century, due to the technological boom, there was a change in the role of pits in everyday life. If you remember, a trench is a ditch, the depth of which varies depending on the requirements and purpose of use.
The most widespread trenchreceived at the beginning of the twentieth century during the First World War, and after the Second World War. For protection, the soldiers dug deep holes, half or full height of a man.
The trapezoidal shape made it easy to hide from crossfire and relatively comfortable to take a short rest between shelling.
Types of trenches
In military affairs, one- and two-sided blades are used for protection. Depth, width, as well as additional structures along the trench play an important role. These can be extensions in the form of platforms for shooters or dugouts for a command post.
In the construction business, it is necessary to take into account not only the main points, but also the properties of the soils on which the buildings will be built. The denser the earth, the easier it is to carry out preparatory work.
For sandy areas it is possible to use formwork or support supports depending on the depth of the pit. According to an unspoken rule, on sandy and gravel soils, the depth of the trench should be no more than one meter, sandy loam - one meter thirty centimeters, clay - up to one and a half meters, dense soils - up to two meters.
Organization of work
Before starting construction work, craftsmen must calculate the depth and length of the trench for the foundation. If the building is large, with several floors, a foundation pit is needed to equip the base and basements.
But do not forget that the need for trenches has also increased, which are used when replacing orinstallation of new communications and life support. Masters can use both manual labor and automate it to quickly solve problems.
In order to carry out the required work, especially if they affect a pedestrian or roadway, it must be protected with bright tape or signal flags. Prior to the start of events, it is worth taking care of the equipment, if necessary.
Municipal institutions use tractors, excavators, which are on the balance sheet. But this technique is not always convenient in hard-to-reach places due to its size.
How to dig a hole for a foundation
Firms engaged in the production of special equipment offer several models of manual trenchers. Such an assistant has a lot of advantages and can be used not only for construction purposes, but also for improving household plots.
The trencher can be divided according to the method of movement (manual, self-propelled), as well as the type of engine (two-stroke or four-stroke). A manual trencher is a universal tool for working on any type of soil. Although there are models that require replacement chains for each type of soil.
The advantage of this mechanism is the speed of digging the earth, as well as the possibility of using it in many industries. On average, in sixty minutes, a trencher can dig a ditch between seventy and one hundred and eighty meters, depending on the soil.
Do I need to compact the soil
After the work done, notit is worth forgetting that the earth that was dug out, and then poured into the same ditch, will sag over time. This issue is especially relevant for trenches dug on the roadway or in places of frequent use.
It is possible to prevent subsidence of pits in the future by backfilling the trench. Taking into account the properties of the soil, as well as groundwater, workers should consider possible collapses. In areas with sandy soil, it is advisable to use additional gravel for tamping, which will easily pass water, but not sag much.
So that the dug earth does not remain on the surface, mechanical devices are used for tamping: motor-concrete, vibrorammer, roller.
If the soil is dense and difficult to cultivate, experts suggest filling up the trench, leaving an earth mound on the surface, which will sag over time. This method is convenient if the ditch is dug in a place little visited by people.
If you have a need to dig a trench, this does not mean that you need to rush to the store in the morning and purchase a manual trencher. Yes, it is affordable, although it requires significant maintenance costs. It is easier to rent special equipment for a certain period, convenient for the customer.
