Many of the new housing subdivisions in Victoria are on expansive soils with the majority of
houses built being timber-framed brick-veneer with slab on ground. Given the sensitivity of
expansive soils to change of ground moisture content and the light nature of these domestic
structures, significant cracking and damage to newly constructed houses has been reported
following the end of the drought and above-average rainfall received in the last couple of
years. This paper is part of an ongoing major research project which aims to improve the …