What is the term for the uneven lowering of different parts of an engineered structure, often resulting in damage?

The term that describes the uneven lowering of different parts of an engineered structure, which can lead to damage, is known as differential settlement. This phenomenon occurs when various components of a structure experience different rates of settling due to underlying soil conditions, varying loads, or changes in moisture content.

For example, if one corner of a building settles more than another due to soft soil or inadequate foundation support, it can cause structural problems such as cracking, misalignment of doors and windows, or even failure of the foundation itself. Understanding differential settlement is crucial for geologists and engineers when designing and assessing structures, especially in areas with complex geotechnical conditions.

Elastic rebound refers to a mechanism associated with earthquakes, where accumulated stress along a fault is released abruptly, leading to seismic activity. Earthquake fault zones are regions where tectonic plates interact, posing risks during seismic events. Dilatancy, on the other hand, is a property of materials that describes their tendency to increase in volume when subjected to shear stress, and although it may relate to soil behavior, it does not directly correspond to the localized structural damage from uneven settlement.