The collapse of the soil structure due to wetting is called hydroconsolidation and it occurs only once under constant loading, in cases of perturbation of the soils moisture content. It is encountered usually in non-sedimentary soils such as anthropogenic fills and residual materials. This paper presents an interpretation of hydroconsolidation settlements in a building of the historical centre of Thessaloniki followed after a rise of the water table. The interpretation is based on the results of laboratory evaluation of hydroconsolidation properties, in conjunction with in situ measurements of settlements.