Application of "effective" stress principles in the prediction of heave in unsaturated expansive clay requires an evaluation of the swell index and changes in the matric suction. The latter, in turn, requires knowledge of water balance principles. This paper presents a case study to illustrate the practical application of an effective stress approach to heave prediction. The purpose of this paper is to present application of a method to predict heave proposed by Fredlund and Rahardjo in typical engineering studies. A brief review of the method is provided, followed by areas of application. A case history with measured movement, swell pressures and matric suction is presented to illustrate the information required and its application in an engineering environment.