Swamps in cities like Thailand, Bangladesh, Cambodia etc in South East Asia are used to produce rice and other food crops for their consumption.
But for us in Nigeria, we have not developed these lands into productive agricultural use but instead build weak structures leaning like the Tower of Pisa on them.

Consciously or unconsciously and knowingly or unknowingly, we are building on these viable lands that are hazardous when disasters strike. We have blocked the exit ways for run offs that are supposedly meant to enter the sea and as a result, we do experience large pool of water in the city.

Truth be told, these lands are not good for human habitation but these is where we are and we want to put up our life investment.

Snakes do visit us from time to time and water borne diseases are also inevitable in these environment.

Though construction in a swamp is difficult, time consuming, and expensive, it is possible to accomplish. Tests should be carried out before the land is purchased and before the project is started.

Building on solid ground must be our goal for such land is not in limited supply.

Note: I am not a land seller or broker nor am I promoting them for commission but just appealing for our future safety and to protect our hard-earned cash.

A common practice when building in these areas (especially those with high water table) is to do a raft foundation which does NOT GUARANTEE anything. Such terrain do not require a "one-size-fit-all" solution but a proper soil investigation needs to be carried out to determine the bearing capacity of the soil.

Terrain With High Water Table

This means the water pressure in the soil is high and the soil in such area is likely to be weaker.
If the building site is surrounded by areas of
higher ground, the underground water will flow to the site and this may cause pressure beneath the floor slab or increased moisture levels and thus leading to settlement of the building; which eventually leads to building collapse

Why Investigate The Soil When I See Other Buildings Around Me?

A friend here on NL mailed me a while ago to ask the Importance of Soil Test. "Why soil test?", Is this not a mere waste of your clients fund?
__________________________

This is a great question. After all, there are existing buildings in the swampy areas, the extremely waterlogged sites and they were able to stay afloat in midst of the big challenge. So the thinking goes – if those existing homes didn’t have any problems with the soil, why should we have?

The risk and costs of cracked foundations or other structural problems in flood zone are so enormous that the extra cost to conduct a soil test, just makes sense but not compulsory though! Only the government of the day can mandate compulsory soil investigation - and I really wish they do that as part of requirement to get approvals.

What Soil Test Is?
Soil test is work that is conducted by a geotechnical engineer/soil scientist to determine the soil type, strength and quality on any particular site.

What Soil Test Isn't
Soil test is not an investigation carried out on soil where only large and heavy buildings are proposed to be sited. It's not a test carried out only on sites proned to flooding. Neither is it a test carried out by only the rich and comfortable.

Soil Test Explained
Since most foundations contact the soil and not the bedrock (especially in Lagos, Port Harcourt and some lands in riverine areas), a soil test let us know whether the soil can support the planned home (bungalow, duplex, flats, apartments, MDUs, factories, warehouse etc). This test is carried out using variety of tools, but most often by taking and examining core samples at every given intervals until a good bearing soil is encountered.

Let's digress back to the initial question – Why do we need a soil test?
Well, the simple answer is soil test is needed to design a very solid structure in any given terrain based on the bearing capacity of the soil encountered.


So, who builds in a swampy terrain without carrying out a proper investigation of the soil? I think it's a man who is prepared to spend some millions in order to save a few hundred in a terrain that he's not even sure of. Let us not be pennywise and pound foolish.

Why Swamps Should Be Left For Agricultural Purpose?

One of the major cause of Cracks in a house is water and moisture.

Crack is caused by a shift (not necessary a poor workmanship as most people believe) in the building foundation. The shift is caused by poor quality of the soil and a major change in the moisture of the soil content beneath the building foundations. This explains the reason why insufficient bearing soils (peat, sand and expansive clay) may cause the foundation to shift and pull apart.

But I don sandfill na!

Yeah! Sandfilling is good but just like an island in the midst of an ocean, we all know one day it'll be washed away. Although the surface of the ground can appear stable and dry, the insufficient bearing soils beneath the surface will definitely compress under the weight of a building. The more load imposed, the higher the susceptibility to crack.

Sandfilling can only take care of the surface. A short-bored or deep pile is advisable in terrain with high water table.

I don do my fence na

Boundary walls/fence are only effective seals to minimize water penetration for low depth/short duration floods and not for groundwater flooding.

Groundwater flooding may take weeks or months to dissipate and proper planning is required to mitigate its effect. Groundwater flooding could damage foundations, walls and floors. It could cause possible erosion beneath foundations and thereby cause structural instability and excessive settlement. And many more structural failures.

There are no definitive ways to design buildings in flood zones. The approach will depend largely on the characteristics of the soil in your location and the engineering designs to keep water away from your property.

Some lands are better left for growing rice or irrigation purpose.

Swamp Problems | Weak Bearing Soils

Some soils are simply not capable of supporting the weight or bearing pressure exerted by a building's foundation. As a result, the foundation sink into the soft soils. This is very similar in theory to how a person standing in the mud sinks into soft, wet clay.

okay

Very informative and incisive write up. Thanks for it

Informative. I recall back in the days when those of us living in Ojota who were attending schools in Maryland we did use a wooden bridge built over the Odo Iya Alaro stream which separated Ojota from Mende, Maryland and where some Ijaws fished in.........today Upscale Estates have taken over the wetlands!

Only if ppl will listen. Swampy area should be left alone for agricultural purpose

If your foundation is good it will not show [color=#990000][/color]

Make i book space

can rice grow in d lekki area ni the water looks/is contaminated

Okay

Okay


A plot of land located at Akesan Lagos state

Along Lasu iyana iba going for 1.5m negotiable
NOTE: Swamps Land

Direct seller...
Serious buyer should call/

whatsapp 08085310359, 09054800167


Hello Nairalanders, i have this land facing Lasu

iba express way all round fenced for sale at rate

of 70million Naira Negotiable,


Available document: Family Receipt, survey plan,


Side attract: facing expressway, close to Lagos

state university, close to Iba New site estate and

alot more


NOTE: This is dry Land...


Good for filling Station, churches, shopping mall,

event center,schools and lot more..


Serious Buyer should contact

Call/Whatsapp: 08085310359

For inspection or call 08033588797


Email: realomonile@ gmail.com

Nice write up and so enlightening..swamps should be left alone for agricultural purposes..most of the world's biodiverse environment are swamps and destroying them alters the stability of the ecosystem..swamps are also prone to flooding..but now with geotechnical solutions anyone could have a ride at his/her own peril..BUILD ON SOLID ROCK NOT SINKING SWAMPS

We have swamps everywhere in my village(Ebonyi State), and it's only used for rice cultivation..

You need good rainfall of rice cultivation. thats all.

Pavore9:
Informative. I recall back in the days when those of us living in Ojota who were attending schools in Maryland we did use a wooden bridge built over the Odo Iya Alaro stream which separated Ojota from Mende, Maryland and where some Ijaws fished in.........today Upscale Estates have taken over the wetlands!

yes oh,lived in sunmola street then...okupe estate...there was a building that collapsed just at the entrance of arowojobe estate...those place na confirm swamp.

merci beaucoup.

omobaekiti:
yes oh,lived in sunmola street then...okupe estate...there was a building that collapsed just at the entrance of arowojobe estate...those place na confirm swamp.

They are just calamity waiting to happen.

realomonile:
Okay


A plot of land located at Akesan Lagos state

Along Lasu iyana iba going for 1.5m negotiable
Direct seller...
Serious buyer should call/

whatsapp 08085310359, 09054800167
Hello Nairalanders, i have this land facing Lasu iba express way all round fenced for sale at rate of 70million Naira Negotiable,
Available document: Family Receipt, survey plan,
Side attract: facing expressway, close to Lagos state university, close to Iba New site estate and alot more
NOTE: This is dry Land...
Good for filling Station, churches, shopping mall,event center,schools and lot more..
Serious Buyer should contact Call/Whatsapp 08085310359

For inspection or call 08033588797

70 or 7 million ? I don't underst

sokera:
70 or 7 million ? I don't underst

70million for the 4 plots of land facing xpress way..

Baba this one you dey yarn na story oo...come to festac town 6th avenue to be precise. Lots of swampy land, infact na river. Each plot costing an average of 12m-15m/plot but if you see the surrounding houses there, choko! Beauty at its finest!
Houses are springing up there like MAD despite the swampy terrain. Investors & science no dey work hand in hand, if not people wouldn't be going to lekki despite the future danger of rising ocean level #see the chart to prove festac develops housing units the most on the MAINLAND

That many people are doing it does not make it right.

REPORTED CASES OF BUILDING COLLAPSE IN NIGERIA FROM 1974



Brabus

Swamp for Buildings? Or Growing Rice?

That its standing today does not make it structurally sound. How else do we explain Lagos Island topping the list of collapsed building in Lagos?

Most building in Lagos Island are built on reclaimed lands.

Swamp Problems | Poor Compaction

It's nearly impossible to properly compact soil in swampy lands. Properly placed and compacted soils normally provide adequate support for foundations but in a terrain where water ponding around the foundation is left unattended, the compacted soils may loose their form and compress under a foundation load resulting in excessive settlement of the structure.


Brabus

Swamp Problems | Changes in Moisture Content

Prolonged flooding or unattended groundwater can lead to extreme change in moisture content of foundation soils which can in turn cause damaging settlement in a building.

Another challenge often overlooked in swampy terrain is the presence of maturing trees and vegetation which suck out water from the foundation. Interestingly, we build on this lands not minding the cause effects.

Brabus

Swamp Problems | Mature Trees




Brabus

[size=16pt]Mr N3xt you write just like Brabus Nexthome builder who always fight and scam his customers. Do you know Brabus?[/size]