Estudio geotécnico in Cullera

In Cullera, soils of fine sands and silts predominate; these exhibit variable bearing capacity that may require special attention during foundation design, particularly in areas where silts are predominant due to their compressibility. There are also occasional occurrences of gravel and compact sands, which are more favourable for supporting structures, and smaller sectors of white/soft expansive clays which, although localised, must be considered given their deformable behaviour if shallow foundations are planned. The formations present are, in general, of low permeability, with possible shallow aquifers due to local accumulation of water, which suggests the need to carefully analyse groundwater levels and possible water-related interferences in foundation design.

The seismicity of the area is very low, with only 4 relevant events in the last 30 years and a maximum recorded magnitude of 3.3, indicating that the seismic phenomenon is not a significant constraint for structural design. However, given the local geological conditions, the possible development of karst must be verified rigorously before carrying out any foundation work, as there may be a risk of sinkholes or subsidence resulting from dissolution of the ground. The fact that the regional substrate is not clayey makes it possible to rule out serious hazards due to expansiveness. As the main geotechnical constraint in Cullera, the importance of investigating karst cavities and accurately characterising the silts and sands is highlighted before the start of works.