Soil instability can be created by shallow and/or deep-seated sinkhole activity, wetting and drying of swelling clays, deterioration of buried organic debris such as tree stumps, failure of buried structures such as long-forgotten septic tanks and fuel tanks, and improper compaction of soil prior to construction.

Subsurface conditions are evaluated using a variety of field and laboratory methods, including the following:

• Ground penetrating radar
• Ground conductivity
• Electrical resistivity
• Standard Penetrations Test (SPT) borings
• Field and laboratory permeability testing
• Soil gradations
• Clay mineralogy using X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD)

Remedial strategies can include excavation and backfill, lime stabilization, chemical and cement grouting, underpinning and more.