Page 171 - Moving the Earth_ The Workbook of Excavation

BASEMENTS

BASEMENTS 4.11

FIGURE 4.11 Sidehill basement.

year, so it is hard to detect. Creep is caused by gravity with seasonal freezing and thawing or alter-
nating shrinking and swelling of clay minerals in the soil.
Building a house with a basement dug into the ground may actually unload a slope and make
it safer from a landslide, provided that the soil dug out is hauled away and not left to overload an
area where it might be piled. That leaves a decision for the owner or excavator who might need
some of the dug material for backfilling. Is it cheaper to take the needed precaution of hauling
away material that may be used later for backfill? Or is it worth taking a chance that no slide will
occur and do the necessary cleanup if one occurs? The latter choice might be in order for a location
in the country, whereas in a built-up urban area where other buildings might be in jeopardy, taking
the precaution would be in order.

FRONT-END LOADER

Digging. A front-end loader, with a standard full-width hydraulic dump bucket, may dig an
open type of basement in the same manner as a bulldozer. It should be expected to do a quicker
job than a dozer of the same power, because of better penetration in hard soil and ability to push
larger loads.
The ability of the front-end loader to cut straight ahead, then back and turn with the load,
makes it possible to reduce the amount of excavation outside the digging lines for ramps. If the