Melbourne’s architecture has more hidden than first appears. It’s possible that as a resident in Melbourne, or if you are an architect who loves to read about architecture, you have heard of the term underlying melbourne, read here! The causes and effects of subsidence are fascinating. But let’s not jump to the solutions. Instead, we’ll explore these intriguing factors.
How often does your living-room look messy after you’ve had a fun party? Melbourne can at times be like a living room that has been thrown a geological ‘party’. Here’s a chat to help you understand it!
Melbourne’s dance with nature: Melbourne’s location is in a land where the soil enjoys a good and energetic tango. Let’s talk about soil. Changes in soil moisture can cause clay to either expand when it is moist, or contract when it is dry. A building can tilt or sink due to the shifting of this dance floor. You might think that a crack is your house’s ground saying: “I went a little too far!”
Melbourne’s lush suburbs make us all happy. However, sometimes trees and other plants will hug our building a little bit too tight. It is possible that their roots will draw moisture out of soil, which can lead to it shrinking, and subsidence.
History (and modernity!) are heavy! : Age and type of material used in a construction can affect the weight. The depth of the foundation in older structures may be less than that found in newer ones. With the added weight of extra floors or extensions and settling, you might see some ground movement.
You can see water all around you: Broken pipes or poor drainage may cause leakages that soften the earth. The end result is? It’s settling more than is necessary. Like trying to construct a sandcastle along the coastline. As the wave approaches, it will go down.
Mining and excavating: Melbourne is known to have had some historical mining. Not properly managing the voids created can result in instability of the soil. Couple that with current excavations in infrastructure projects, and the ground could get into trouble.