Design of a structure on expansive soils must consider the depth of wetting that can occur during the life of the structure and the associated heave. Two-dimensional seepage analyses were conducted for soil profiles typical to the Denver area to evaluate the migration of the wetting front. Predicted values of potential heave versus time were computed based upon the migration of the wetting front for sites with low, moderate, and highly expansive soils. The predicted heave in the lifetime of the structure is compared to the predicted maximum free-field heave for sites with various boundary conditions.
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