Estudio geotécnico in Caravaca de la Cruz

In Caravaca de la Cruz, the ground conditions are fundamentally dominated by limestones, dolomites and marbles—materials that account for more than 60% of the ground and that provide a high bearing capacity for foundations. Fine sands, silts and, to a lesser extent, compacted gravels are also present, although occasionally or rarely, influencing locally the choice of the most appropriate foundation type. The overall low permeability of these formations suggests stable behaviour, although it is important to consider possible shallow aquifers in some areas.

As regards additional geotechnical factors, Caravaca de la Cruz has a high number of seismic events (198 over 30 years) with a maximum recorded magnitude of 5.1, which requires structural design to incorporate strict seismic criteria. In addition, the presence of carbonate materials implies the need to investigate the possible existence of karst features, as cavities must be ruled out before deciding on the foundation type. The non-clayey substratum eliminates the risk of expansivity. In this municipality, the main constraint is the combination of the high seismic risk and the prior verification of karst-related phenomena.