1.Expansive soil is soil that contains a high percentage of certain types of clay that absorb vast quantities of water. 2. Most soil in the Owensboro, KY area can be classified as a swelling soil. 3. Soil to expand 10% or more as moisture enters it. 4. Expansive soil contracts when the moisture evaporates during our hot summer months, causing extreme differences in the pressure being generated on foundation, driveway, or patios. 5. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that these soils are responsible for more home damage every year than floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes combined.