Pro tip: Don't skip the soil compaction test on a job in Phoenix

I was working on a small commercial slab out near Cave Creek last month and we thought the ground was solid enough. Foreman said to just pour the concrete and move on. Two days later we had cracks forming because the base wasn't compacted right under the rebar. Cost us an extra $1,800 to rip it out and redo it. Anyone else have a foreman who rushes the prep work like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

logan_wood3h ago

Blame the foreman all you want but maybe the crew just didn't know how to run a proper compaction test. I've seen plenty of guys skip the test because they think the ground looks dry and packed but end up with a soft spot under the slab. If the rebar was already set and the base didn't hold it could also be a water table issue or the soil type in that area is just bad. $1,800 is steep but sometimes the haste is on the guys checking the subgrade not just the foreman rushing.

the_emma2h ago

Honestly, that's a fair point about the crew not knowing how to run a proper compaction test, but doesn't that still fall on the foreman for not making sure they were trained right before pouring? If the guys on site can't tell a soft spot from hard pack, maybe the problem runs deeper than just one lazy foreman. Would the $1,800 fix even hold up if the soil type in that area is known to be bad anyway?