jdgm Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Hi folks There is a high (15-18ft) and steep bank behind my house, about 12ft away. Soil is basically clay. In the recent very heavy rains a crack has opened up near the top and a section of it has begun to slump and pull away. The crack has gradually got bigger over the last 8 days; here's a snap from my bedroom this morning.... And one from outside, yesterday; I've never had this kind of problem before, nothing is mentioned at all in the survey report I had done when I bought the house, and the bank has been 100% stable for the 17+ years I've been here. So I called my home insurers who sent a loss adjuster round this morning. Says I don't have a valid claim as there has been no damage to my actual house or even the low retaining wall at the bottom of the bank. It comes under storm damage and I'm insured for storm damage to my house but not my garden. Even if I did have a valid claim the excess for this particular sort of thing means I'd have to pay the 1st £1k of any claim. I've got to get it fixed - it may come down as soon as we get more heavy rain, and it always pours in England during March and April; unfortunately I have very little money and this may take most of my savings. I'm making enquiries this week to groundwork contractors - may need a structural engineer first. I love living here - it's a tiny corner of Heaven in the summer to me. But this is BAD. It may not look much but I'm worried. This has never happened before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Your shed aside it doesn't look from the photos lime it would do much damage if it went. I'm sure you have a clearer idea though. I have nothing I can tell you about what to do right now but once it's fixed the best thing is to promote bramble growth. The roots go everywhere and will sure it all up. Nice feather board fence btw. I have a weird thing g with fences. Love a good non-panel based fence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmokeyGhost Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Whoo, that does not look good. I have no idea what would be necessary to stabalise it. I have seen houses around here built on very steep slopes but usually the land is terraced. Different soils though. I do hope it works out for you and have my fingers crossed no great damage occurs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZettaVita Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 In my humble opinion, more rain will soak into the hillside and increase the soil weight, and perhaps more will fall. Can you mitigate the damage by digging a trench down the middle and to the side of your shed? Until the spring, when you can terrace it properly. At least you will be able to channel the erosion for awhile.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 yep this looks like it could be trouble! hope you can address it with out going broke man... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Ohh man.. that looks like it could get nasty.. Ive seen it first hand and its higher than it looks in the photos... I have no structural advice cos I don't know anything about that... All that comes to mind is if you could talk to the council about it ? They probably wont care cos its on private property but may be worth a phone call.... How close is the rail line? Maybe talk to the citizen's advice bureau they can be good at some things. Donno.. I guess youd need to speak to some sort of structural engineer? Or landscaping people? Good luck with it... Edit.. heres something I looked up for you http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1325/pdf/Sections/AppendixC.pdf http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/pic13/pic13_5.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 best of luck John. we have clay soil here too - seems like trees with long straggly roots help, but the ground can only take so much rain. hope the experts have some viable solutions for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Gibson Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 I've seen this happen on hillsides here when the ground is over saturated,even saw trees come sliding with the dirt. French drain uses sewer pipe with holes,covering the holes with material to keep dirt out and water in.but then you must be able to divert water somewhere,not sure if that's possible as I don't know the lay of the land.that be the cheapest way. Otherwise it's a retaining wall with dead man imbedded in the ground to hold the wall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digger Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Could there be a water leak from another property suddenly causing this destabilisation? Or is it just the volume of rain that you have had? To slip like that, water isn't just running on the surface, it must be underneath as well. If it's possible to move that shed for the time being I think it might be a wise precaution, as that will go if the slip continues. How to stabilise it is the big question? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Oh my God! This looks bad in both ways, considering the uphill area as well as your estate :unsure: ... All that comes to mind is if you could talk to the council about it ? They probably wont care cos its on private property but may be worth a phone call.... How close is the rail line? Maybe talk to the citizen's advice bureau they can be good at some things. ... Rabs mentioned a good point. From the pics I'm not sure, but is the area behind your fence public property? In this case I think the council will be interested in taking care. Sadly I don't have any helpful advice how to stabilize the hillside quickly. In the long run I think Farns is right suggesting to grow bramble. Good luck, John, I cross my fingers for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skilsaw Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 That looks like it could become an expensive problem. Sorry you have it looming over your head. A couple of my classmates at University went on to become geomorphologists. "Geomorphologists seek to understand why landscapes look the way they do, to understand landform history and dynamics and to predict changes through a combination of field observations..." These scientists work for engineering firms, local governments, state governments and universities. Where I live, having a geomorphologist from an engineering firm look at it would cost about $1000 and include a professional report. But, the engineering department of our local government have some expertise and will advise local land owners, particularly if the problem involves more than one property. Hate to say it, but after your land slips, your uphill neighbour's land might be the next to go. University professors sometimes provide free advice in their area of expertise to the locals as well. Perhaps contact the Geology or Geography faculty of a nearby university and ask if someone will give you a free opinion. Hopefully they will provide you with options for stablizing the slope that don't require too much excavation or new retaining walls, etc. Based on my very limited knowledge of slope stability, water is the enemy (and gravity, but you can't change that) The water in the soil on your hill will be from rain falling directly on your slope, and from water percolating through the soil from the neighbour above. Covering your hillside with a big sheet of plastic and directing the rainfall it catches into the perimeter drain of your house will at least reduce the water in the soil coming from rain falling directly on your slope. This is a short term solution only and it won't deal with the water percolating through the soil from the neighbour above. It will be ugly, but relatively inexpensive and may buy you some time. I hope you don't get more rain this spring like the UK got late last year. Watching the news and seeing swollen rivers consume buildings and bridges that were hundreds of years old was heart breaking. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted January 18, 2016 Author Share Posted January 18, 2016 Many thanks for your replies. Can you mitigate the damage by digging a trench down the middle and to the side of your shed? Until the spring, when you can terrace it properly. At least you will be able to channel the erosion for awhile.... Very good idea except knowing my luck I would most likely bring the whole lot down in doing so. It's clay, pretty heavy when saturated. I do appreciate the suggestion but I'm not daring enough to try it with the slope like it is. Could there be a water leak from another property suddenly causing this destabilisation? Or is it just the volume of rain that you have had? To slip like that, water isn't just running on the surface, it must be underneath as well. If it's possible to move that shed for the time being I think it might be a wise precaution, as that will go if the slip continues. How to stabilise it is the big question? Definitely the rain. No question about that. I've thought about the shed and it will have to be moved when whatever work has to be done gets started. I am going to take professional advice on how to stabilise it - this isn't a job for a typical British builder - or landscape gardener. Gabion baskets (full of rocks) have been mentioned and the big sheet of plastic is also a very good idea for the immediate short-term, thankyou Skil - going to try and do that by the end of the week as more rain is predicted. And I know very well we are going to get tons of rain in March and April. At the top, behind the nice fence, is my neighbours' immaculately-kept garden. And yes, if I don't sort this out then that could eventually start to go, and I might be held responsible IF I haven't maintained my bit. @Rabs - thanks for the links, I've been downloading some other stuff too - all suddenly very interesting indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmokeyGhost Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Many thanks for your replies. Very good idea except knowing my luck I would most likely bring the whole lot down in doing so. It's clay, pretty heavy when saturated. I do appreciate the suggestion but I'm not daring enough to try it with the slope like it is. Definitely the rain. No question about that. I've thought about the shed and it will have to be moved when whatever work has to be done gets started. I am going to take professional advice on how to stabilise it - this isn't a job for a typical British builder - or landscape gardener. Gabion baskets (full of rocks) have been mentioned and the big sheet of plastic is also a very good idea for the immediate short-term, thankyou Skil - going to try and do that by the end of the week as more rain is predicted. And I know very well we are going to get tons of rain in March and April. At the top, behind the nice fence, is my neighbours' immaculately-kept garden. And yes, if I don't sort this out then that could eventually start to go, and I might be held responsible IF I haven't maintained my bit. @Rabs - thanks for the links, I've been downloading some other stuff too - all suddenly very interesting indeed. Yeah, that's an additional problem you don't need. Gives me the shites actually. It isn't as if the rain ONLY falls on your land, it has to also fall on his and you would think there would be some effect on your land as a result of water flowing from his property. However, as is usual in these situations ,one lawyer in town; starvation, two lawyers in town; prosperity. Best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quapman Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 I've thought about the shed and it will have to be moved when whatever work has to be done gets started. I am going to take professional advice on how to stabilise it - this isn't a job for a typical British builder Ya that looks bad. I'm thinking I might move that shed sooner than later or you could be digging it out. I agree with seeking professional advice. Not sure what you have available there but maybe a structural engineer or similar professional. Or can you contact city/town hall and have them come inspect it? Good luck dude. Stay safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted January 18, 2016 Author Share Posted January 18, 2016 Ya that looks bad. I'm thinking I might move that shed sooner than later or you could be digging it out. I agree with seeking professional advice. Not sure what you have available there but maybe a structural engineer or similar professional. Or can you contact city/town hall and have them come inspect it? Good luck dude. Stay safe. Hi Quap, thanks for posting - more good advice, yes I'm beginning to think better move the damn shed. I want nothing to do with our local authority....I own the freehold so up to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quapman Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 I own the freehold so up to me. Ah, gotcha. I wasn't sure what the situation was. I like to do everything in my home I possibly can. But something about being buried alive kinda freaks me out. lol. Good luck dude. Keep us posted on this. I would really like to see how you fix this. It's doable but erosion and mother nature can be a b!tch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Answer #1: I hope you can get it fixed, looks serious and it would suck to have that come down. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Answer #2: I've seen this yard, H.M. Government Public Service Film No. 42, Para. 6. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4Hayden Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 I would move the shed dig out with a backhoe and build a retaining wall and replace the dirt, then put the shed back. 4G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 I would move the shed dig out with a backhoe and build a retaining wall and replace the dirt, then put the shed back. 4G Definitely - if you can get a JCB in there it shouldn't be a big job. If you then cut a terrace in below the retaining wall and get some decent soil for it you could have a nice vegie garden or if not then a rockery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Bummer of a sinkhole. Here's to you and it working out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 I used to do geotechnical engineering. It kind of looks like the whole slope is moving above your shed. Over here that's usually something you hire an engineer for, but not always. Sometimes a contractor will be able to do the engineering. The ground has slumped because there's more water there than there used to be and the groundwater table is too high. The basic idea on how to fix it is to put in drains to lower the water table and/or put in a retaining wall. Both options are pretty serious work. The gabions tend to be a good option for slopes like that one that are like 20 feet high or so. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted January 20, 2016 Author Share Posted January 20, 2016 Well I am getting absolutely nowhere at the moment. None of the firms/builders etc I have contacted by phone or email has called or emailed me back yet, not even to say "no we can't help". (EDIT - moan deleted) Obviously I am not contacting the right people! Must do better tomorrow! I may even leave it like it is until late spring - after the rains - then fix it myself. I'd save money that way at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 Well I am getting absolutely nowhere at the moment. Write a song about it. "Will the Landslip bring me down? No. Will the Landslip bring me dooown?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted January 20, 2016 Author Share Posted January 20, 2016 Write a song about it. "Will the Landslip bring me down? No. Will the Landslip bring me dooown?" And I am only 5 miles as the crow flies from the legendary Headley Grange (it's up a private road so you can't 'Google Earth' it).... Cue Bonham drumbeat! - 'If it keeps on rainin' the landslip's gonna break' - .....and so on... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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