Why does nobody talk about how a sudden downpour can turn a perfectly graded trench into a mudslide nightmare?

Had to evacuate the site yesterday when our trench walls started collapsing from the rain, and now I'm looking for better drainage strategies before the next storm hits.

3 comments

3 Comments

foster.grace1mo ago

When you mention a "perfectly graded trench," I mean, was it graded with the soil's saturation point in mind? Idk, maybe it's just me, but even the best grading can fail if the soil composition is wrong for wet conditions. What specific soil type are you working with that led to such a rapid collapse?

wren_smith401mo ago

My cousin's drainage ditch collapsed because he ignored the clay soil after heavy rain. It looked like a mini landslide overnight. Have you dealt with clay soil issues before?

john6501mo ago

Clay soil like @wren_smith40 mentioned can turn into a mess real fast if it's not accounted for. Your point about saturation is spot on for why grading alone isn't enough.