Estudio geotécnico in Cabranes

In Cabranes, the predominant soils are formed by sandstones and conglomerates, with an occasional presence of flysch and a rare occurrence of limestones, dolomites and marbles. These lithologies provide a competent foundation for supporting structures, with adequate bearing capacity in most cases. However, the low permeability of the materials may favour the accumulation of surface water, which requires a detailed analysis of possible seasonal aquifers before defining the depth and type of the foundations.

The municipality shows high seismicity, with more than 150 events over 30 years and a maximum magnitude of 4.2, which makes it necessary to take these parameters into account in structural calculations. Given that part of the substratum includes limestones and dolomites, even though their proportion is low, it is necessary to verify the presence of karst features before carrying out any foundation works, in order to avoid risks of subsidence or localised collapses. The non-clayey substratum rules out the risk of expansiveness; thus, the main conditioning factor for a geotechnical study in Cabranes is the possible existence of karst cavities in combination with the area’s seismic environment.