Loam drainage system. Draining Clay Soil - Drainage Secrets

Important Points

The geofabric serves as an additional filter that prevents large debris from entering the drainage system. It is believed that in clay soils its use is optional.

The lack of slope will lead to stagnant water and silting of the drainage line. The slope is from 1 to 7 centimeters per meter of pipeline.

The backfill layer should not be less than 15 centimeters. This rule is relevant for both gravel and sand or soil.

The depth of the main canals is from 40 centimeters to 1.2 meters. Less or more depth will make the system inefficient.

The accumulation of melt or precipitation water on the site leads to many unpleasant consequences. To solve this problem, drainage structures are used, the functionality of which is especially important for clay soil, which does not conduct moisture well. Read below for a step-by-step guide to installing a drainage system with your own hands.

Drainage for clay soil

Before organizing drainage in a site with clay soil, it is important to know the features of such soil. A small test is done first. To do this, you need to dig a hole about 60 cm deep, pour 6-7 buckets of water into it. If after a day the moisture is absorbed into the soil without residue, then the site does not need a complex drainage system. In this case, stormwater or bulk drainage is sufficient. Clay soil will not completely absorb water and therefore the site requires more careful arrangement.

As a result of the fact that clay does not conduct moisture well, accumulations of water, puddles form in the upper layers of the soil. Excessive humidity leads to the destruction of the foundations of buildings, the death of plants and the creation of an overly humid atmosphere in the territory. Therefore, drainage is necessary and allows you to drain the clay soil, preventing unpleasant consequences.

For the organization of drainage, factors such as:

• the amount of incoming moisture in the form of precipitation, melt water, automatic irrigation, etc.;
• the area of ​​the territory in need of drainage;
• financial possibilities that determine the type and quality of materials used for drainage.

The combination of underground and surface drainage allows you to drain the soil, providing normal conditions for plants and preserving buildings. At the same time, the buried option involves digging deep ditches, using pipes, crushed stone, geotextiles, and building a well for diverted water. All this requires financial costs and requires careful calculation of parameters.

Surface drainage is shallow channels that are directed towards the well to collect water. From above, the recesses are covered with gratings and are easy to use. The system of such ditches does not require the use of pipes, since special material is laid on the bottom of the trenches. Thanks to this, moisture is transported to the well, and does not remain on clay soil.

The combination of surface and buried systems is optimal for clay soil. Each option requires the development of a diagram that indicates the location of ditches, a well and other elements. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the sequence of installation steps, because the drainage must perform its function quickly and efficiently.

Drainage device

To drain clay soil, surface and deep drainage is used. The first option can be a tray type or with a sand cushion. In any case, trenches are dug towards the well to collect water. The width of the ditches can be about 30 cm, and the depth is up to 50 cm. At the same time, a slight uniform slope towards the well is observed. For areas with a natural slope, this is not necessary.

For a tray surface system, special boxes or plastic trays are installed in the trenches, through which water will be transported to the well. In the case of a sand cushion, a small layer of sand should be poured onto the bottom of the ditches, the size of which is slightly larger than with the tray method, then crushed stone almost to the edges of the recess. On top, you can pour multi-colored gravel or lay a layer of turf.

Deep drainage involves the creation of ditches into which layers of rubble, pipes for drainage, and geotextiles are laid. In the allotted place, a well is installed in the recess to collect water, pipes are laid on a layer of sand and geotextile in trenches, and then crushed stone is poured and the edges of the canvas are wrapped. The well should be located at the extreme point of the site, and all ditches should be directed towards it.

Drainage scheme

Before starting work on creating drainage, the location of all elements of the system should be noted on the site plan. The well should be placed in the far corner, the ditches run along the perimeter of the house or other buildings, connect into one trench and lead to the well. When planning a deep system, it is worth considering that pipes cannot be laid in clay soil where heavy equipment and cars drive. As a result, the soil will sag and damage the drainage. Therefore, the best option is surface drainage, which contributes to the rapid removal of moisture.

The diagram indicates the direction of each trench, as well as the slope of the ditches. If the site is located on a slope, then it is enough to simply dig ditches of the same depth to the well itself. On a flat surface, the calculation of the slope is carried out taking into account the norms.

The slope of the pipes is indicated by fractions, which are difficult for an ignorant person to understand. For example, 0.007 or 0.02. In fact, these numbers mean the ratio of the desired slope of the pipe to its length, expressed in meters. If you need to set a slope of 0.007, this means that for 1 linear meter of pipe, the height difference should be 7 mm. And if the slope is 0.02, then at one meter the height difference will be 2 cm. This difference in slopes is due to the fact that pipes of different diameters require a different minimum slope. And the larger the diameter, the smaller the slope. For example, for diversion drains, pipes with a diameter of 9-11 cm are always used. The minimum slope for them is 0.02. This means that the slope of each meter of drain must be at least 2 cm.

After calculating all the parameters, materials are selected and the dehumidifier is installed. For surface drainage, plastic trays are used, which are installed taking into account the required slope and direction.

Do-it-yourself site drainage on clay soils - step-by-step instructions for installing various systems

Surface-type drainage can be organized with your own hands, using a diagram and selecting materials. A simple system consisting of trays, a well and other elements will ensure timely removal of moisture. Surface drainage is supplemented with deep or backfill, which enhances the efficiency of drainage.

Deep drainage: step by step instructions

Pipes are needed to create deep drainage. For the main line, elements with a diameter of 110 mm are used, and pipes with a diameter of 60 mm are optimal for additional ditches. The well is constructed from concrete rings or a special polymer container is inserted into the recess. Crushed stone fraction 20-40, coarse sand, geotextiles are also needed to create a drainage complex.

The complex of works includes the following actions:

1. For a well, a hole should be dug, the depth of which is 2–3 m. Concrete rings are installed from the very bottom. The finished container is mounted in the same way. Sand is poured at the bottom with a layer of 20 cm, and then crushed stone by 30 cm. There should be holes for incoming pipes in the rings or walls of the finished container. The height of their location is equal to the depth of the pipes in the ditches, that is, about 100 cm from the upper edge.
2. Next, you need to dig trenches according to the scheme. Their width is 50 cm, and the depth is 120 cm in the main line and 100 cm in the side lines. The main channels reach the well, while the slope is 5 cm per 1 linear meter of pipe length. At the bottom of the ditches, sand should be poured with a layer of about 20 cm, and then geotextiles should be laid. The edges of the canvas should be higher than the edges of the pit. Next, crushed stone is poured in a layer of 20 cm, perforated pipes are laid in compliance with the slope.
3. Docking of pipes among themselves is made by coupling or bell-shaped connections. In the area of ​​​​turns and on straight sections, inspection wells must be installed every 25 cm. The height of such elements should ensure their elevation above the soil level. Revision wells are necessary to monitor the condition and clean the system.
4. Crushed stone should be poured onto the pipes so that the filter material completely covers them. Next, wrap the geotextile. The space remaining in the trench is covered with sand, and a layer of turf or decorative gravel is laid on top.

Installation of surface drainage

Deep drainage is designed to remove moisture from the soil, and the surface system helps prevent water stagnation in the upper layer of clay soil. Rain moisture or melt water is immediately discharged into the well, transported through special chutes. This allows you to remove water from the roof of buildings and avoid the appearance of puddles in the area with clay soil.

For a surface system, the direction of the ditches should be marked on the site plan, which should lead to the well. The slope is the same as for deep drainage. Next, the following actions are carried out:

1. According to the scheme, small trenches are dug, which are well rammed. It is necessary to observe the slope of the ditches towards the well or water collectors. If the site has a natural slope, then the depth of the channels may be the same. The depth of the trenches in this case is up to 80 cm, and their width is 40 cm.
2. At the bottom of the trenches, sand is poured with a layer of 10 cm, and then the same amount of crushed stone of a fraction of 20–40. Next, you need to pour concrete mortar onto the filter material and immediately install trays to remove water.
3. At the end of each channel line, grit traps should be installed using the same installation method as for the gutters. Rain inlets under the drainpipes of buildings are mounted according to the same method. All parts are well connected to each other, forming a single system. Next, the trays need to be covered from above with special gratings.

Drainage operation

Proper organization of a drainage system of any type is the key to comfort on a site with clay soils. Rapid removal of moisture after rain avoids the formation of puddles, high humidity and the destruction of the foundation of buildings. And also drainage is practical in the area where there are plants that do not tolerate stagnant water. In this case, drainage ditches should be provided around these plants.

During the operation of the deep and surface versions of the systems, it is necessary to regularly clean debris, leaves, grass and sand. This keeps the drainage efficiency. You also need to take into account the following features of operation:

• revision wells, sand traps should be regularly cleaned of contaminants;
• damage to buried pipes requires their timely replacement;
• before completing the installation of the structure, you need to check it by pouring several buckets of water into pipes or trays. Moisture should quickly enter the main well;
• in clay soil it is impossible to lay pipes in areas subjected to heavy loads.

To create drainage with your own hands, you should use only high-quality pipes and trays, durable geotextiles, crushed stone of the middle fraction and coarse sand. Couplings and other connections are important to be carefully fixed, which will avoid leakage of moisture in the wrong place.

Video: how to make a drainage storm drain

For a site on clay soil, a drainage system is necessary, as it allows you to eliminate excess moisture. In this case, clayey soil can settle, which requires careful development of the pipe layout.

Not all owners of suburban allotments are “lucky” with ideal hydrogeological conditions. Often, only in the process of cultivating the land or building, they realize that underground waters lie high, that puddles stand for a long time during the flood period. Don't worry, drainage will solve this problem. Agree, it is much easier to build it than to look for a perfect site.

The drainage system will relieve excess moisture from the soil-vegetative layer, which will ensure the normal growth of cultivated green spaces. It will divert underground water from the foundation in case of their contact, protect the basement and the viewing hole of the garage from flooding.

Those who wish to arrange the drainage of a garden plot with their own hands or with the efforts of a team of landscape workers will find detailed answers to all sorts of questions here. Our material describes in detail the options for groundwater drainage systems and methods for their construction.

A drainage system that collects and drains excess groundwater is necessary in the following cases:

1. The plot is flat, i.e. there are no conditions for spontaneous movement of water downhill.
2. Groundwater is marked at a level close to the earth's surface.
3. The site is located in a lowland, river valley or in a swampy drained area.
4. The soil-vegetative layer develops on clay soils with low filtration properties.
5. The cottage is built on a slope, not far from its foot, which is why when precipitation falls on the site and around it, water accumulates and stagnates.

Installation of drainage is almost always necessary in areas with clay soils underlying the soil: sandy loam, loam. During the period of heavy rainfall, snowmelt, this type of rock passes water through its thickness too slowly or does not allow it to pass at all.

Water stagnation at the level of soil development is associated with its waterlogging. In a humid environment, the fungus actively reproduces, infections, pests (slugs, snails, etc.) appear, which leads to diseases of vegetable crops, rotting of the roots of bushes, perennial flowers and trees.

Due to stagnant water, the soil-vegetative layer becomes waterlogged, as a result of which plants die in a water-saturated environment, and the appearance of the site deteriorates. The drainage system allows you to remove moisture instantly, preventing its long-term impact on the ground

If you do not solve the problem with waterlogging of the soil, then over time, erosion of the earth may occur. In frosty times, the soil layers containing water will swell, which may damage the foundation, paved paths and other site improvement facilities.

To check whether drainage is necessary, you need to find out the throughput of the soil layers on the site. To do this, dig a small hole 60 cm deep and pour water into it to the limit.

If the water is absorbed in a day, then the soil underlying the soil has acceptable filtration properties. In this case, there is no need for drainage. If after two days the water does not leave, it means that clayey rocks lie under the soil-vegetative layer, and there is a risk of waterlogging.

Due to the heaving of water-saturated rocks, the walls of residential structures can crack, as a result of which the building may become unsuitable for permanent residence.

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Owners of land in a lowland or on a steep slope face the problem when water stagnates at the lowest point, when the receiving water can be located higher. In this case, in the lower part of the territory it is necessary to build a storage well, into which it is necessary to introduce a drainage pump. With its help, water is pumped up and discharged into a ditch, ravine or other water receiver.

If it is planned to build an absorption well on the site for the disposal of the collected water, then the work on its construction is carried out in the following sequence:

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Do-it-yourself drainage of the site on clay soils can be done. This is necessary for the reason that in areas where clay soil predominates, water often lingers, not being able to go into the soil. In view of this circumstance, they begin to feel bad, this leads to the fact that they do not develop properly. In order to solve this problem, it is certainly worth equipping the drainage of the site. It is possible to carry out such work correctly if you read the recommendations below.

Features of the territory with a predominance of clay soil

Do-it-yourself drainage of the site is usually necessary for the reason that such territories are characterized by excessive stagnant water. At the same time, the roots of plants are constantly under the influence of moisture, and the air does not enter there in the required volume. Sooner or later, this becomes the cause of oxygen starvation, while cultivated plants can no longer develop normally and, in the end, die. In particular, this phenomenon applies to lawns, which suffer not only from excess moisture, but also because of a fairly dense turf, because it is not loosened even from time to time and is not subjected to plowing. This leads to the fact that a dense layer located on top prevents the plants from fully saturating with air.

Do-it-yourself site drainage on clay soils should be equipped before you plant a lawn or all kinds of crops. After that, it will be possible to use the site immediately after the winter season comes to an end, which is accompanied by the disappearance of the snow cover.

What parameters of the site must be taken into account when designing

Before the drainage system is equipped, as a rule, a calculation is made and a project of the future system is drawn up. However, if you have to work with a territory whose area is not too large, then it is not at all necessary to make a calculation when designing. At the same time, the main condition is the need to take into account the main parameters of the system for draining water from the territory. Among them, it is necessary to highlight all the data related to drainage, namely: slope, location depth, location according to the plan, step between rows, installation of manholes, as well as the wellhead. The territory of a suburban area is not in all cases flat, for this reason, if there is even a slight slope of the soil surface, then it should certainly be used.

Application of terrain features

Do-it-yourself drainage of the site on clay soils must be equipped taking into account the slope of the soil surface. If we compare an inclined and a flat area, then it should be noted that it will be somewhat easier to work with the first one. Moreover, in this case, when arranging the drainage system, labor costs will be many times reduced. At the same time, it is necessary to carry out work in such a way that indoor and outdoor drainage are successfully combined.

In the latter case, in the process of work, ditches are used that have an open top. Such a system is also called surface. It will be most effective for the outflow of excess water in the warm season, it is at this time that a large amount of precipitation falls, which causes a rise in the level. This type of drainage cannot be dispensed with in the winter. In a number of latitudes in winter, thaws are quite frequent, which are accompanied by frozen soil, which is not able to absorb water, and there is a need to drain liquid from the soil surface. In the cases described, it is absolutely necessary to equip the drainage of the site with your own hands, how to do this - you should certainly be interested.

Description of open and closed types of drainage

If you decide to mount an open type system, then you need to use a special tile, it has a slight slope, which will effectively remove excess moisture. Through such a system, liquid from the roofs of houses and paved areas will flow into a closed drainage system, which acts as a leader. Closed drainage will work as follows: the liquid that comes from the surface of the soil will flow through underground utilities, which have a shape and look like pipes. Before starting work, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of clay soil, which has a significant weight and high density. This indicates the need for its loosening before starting work. During the installation of drains, you will need to bypass areas that are intended for vehicles.

Closed installation

If you decide to equip the drainage of the site with your own hands, you should definitely know how to do this. Before starting work, it is imperative to determine which type of water intake will be used in this system. In its role, for example, a natural reservoir can act, quite often an alternative solution is used, which involves the withdrawal of water into an artificially equipped ditch. It must be located close to the road. But it may also happen that there are none, while the task can be solved in several ways, each of them can be implemented independently. There are several options for arranging the outflow of fluid. You can equip the reservoir on your own, making it in the form of a pond. At the same time, you should not be afraid that it will eventually begin to resemble a small wetland. In addition, you can dig a ditch yourself. It must be made deep, and located outside the boundaries of its own site. If you decide to use the latter option, then you must first agree with your neighbors.

Alternative stock option

If you intend to do the drainage of the site with your own hands, you should definitely know how to make the system, otherwise it will not cope with its functions, the plants on the territory will die, and the work will have to be done again. The third option for organizing water flow involves digging oversized wells. Their walls must be made vertical, and after filling, the water must be pumped out using a pump. Such manipulations will have to be done from time to time. For units, the pumping mode can be made automatic.

earthworks

Before you make the drainage of the garden plot with your own hands, you first have to dig trenches. It is necessary to arrange them along the perimeter of the suburban area. At the same time, the trenches will have to be given such a depth and width that they should not be more than 1.2 and 0.4 m. After the ditches are prepared, it is necessary to lay pipes in them that are intended to collect water. These ditches, by the way, have the name of the main ditches. Pre-laid pipes must reach the water intake. In order to fill the main channels, it is preferable to use pipes with a diameter of 110 mm for this. The depth of the main pipelines, when compared with the collecting branches of the system, should be somewhat greater. Must be carried out according to the rules of work, when the drainage of the site is arranged with your own hands, advice and guidance must be read before starting work. This is the only way to achieve the desired result.

Laying pipelines

In the work, it is imperative to follow the rules that are prescribed in the regulatory and technical literature. They regulate the need to remove drainage pipelines from the fence. So, the step between the pipeline and the fence should be 0.5 m or more. It should be noted that the pipeline should also be removed from the blind area of ​​​​the main building, stepping back from it during installation of 1 m. The liquid will initially collect in drainage trenches, only then it will flow into the main channels. A whole network of trenches must be created on the territory, the depth and width of which, respectively, must be equal to 1.2 and 0.35 m.

The drainage of the site must necessarily have a certain slope, the master can easily produce a diagram and a device with his own hands. Thus, the trench network must be equipped with a slope that is 5 cm per meter. The channels should not have a large length. If you apply this rule, then the drainage system will work properly. A less impressive slope is not recommended, this is due to the fact that the fluid flow rate will not be as intense as necessary, this will ultimately cause stagnation in a certain area. If you have to work on the territory of a clay area, then the drains should be located at a distance of 10 m from each other.

Checking the system for operability

On clay soil, after trenches are dug and pipes are laid in them, it does not imply instant closure of the elements. Before you have to check the drainage for performance and efficiency.

The trench network must remain open for some time. For testing, heavy rainfall is the most successful option. If such an opportunity does not appear for a long time, then it is simply necessary to let water from the irrigation hose into the trenches. In this case, you should observe how quickly the flow of water will pass through the system. The absence of stagnation in all areas indicates the correct functioning, this is the only way to check the drainage of the site with your own hands, the technology and rules must be known to the master, only then everything will work without stagnation. If there is a need, then even at this stage it is necessary to adjust certain parameters that will increase the flow rate.

Solving system functionality problems

If, when checking the system, it was found that it does not work efficiently enough, then pipes of a larger diameter can be installed, in addition, the slope can be increased. In some cases, masters make a system that is equipped with a denser network. You can close the system if the drainage of the site is working properly, especially how to drain the soil - all this is important to know even before the start of work.

The final stage

You can close the system with geotextiles that can pass water. Instead, it is permissible to use volumetric filters that perform well in the drainage of clay soils. The most practical for drainage work are plastic pipes with a diameter of 63 mm, the surface of which must be corrugated. The connection of pipes must be carried out by means of tees.

The cost of arranging drainage

If you decide to do the drainage of the site with your own hands on clay soils, the price of a professional installation should certainly interest you. This may help you decide whether to carry out the work yourself or entrust the matter to professionals. So, if you decide to turn to specialists, then the cost of a running meter of surface drainage will cost 1,300 rubles. Whereas the same amount of work, but over deep drainage, will cost 2400 rubles.