Incentives for house owners in Dutch peatland districts to invest in solid foundations

摘要

In the northern part of the Netherlands most peatlands were drained and used for peat cutting in the 18th and 19th centuries. Later these excavated lands were reclaimed for agriculture. Farm buildings as well as many small houses for landworkers were built, especially in the period 1850-1950.Until 1950 these houses (bricks) were built on wooden foundations. The peat depth varied from 2 to 4 metres and the wooden piles were founded upon the underlying sandy layer.Building regulations prescribed that the top of the piles were installed at least 50 cm below the lowest (summer) groundwater table. This depth guarantees that groundwater levels do not drop below the top of the piles.