Estudio geotécnico in Los Corrales de Buelna

In Los Corrales de Buelna, soils composed of fine sands and silts predominate; these materials exhibit good compaction but moderate bearing capacity. Owing to the presence of these soils and their high permeability, derived from the existence of productive and extensive aquifers, it is crucial to design careful foundations, preferably deep ones or with ground-improvement systems as appropriate to the case and the building load, in order to avoid problems associated with the possible erosion of, or transport of, fine particles.

Seismicity in the municipality is notable, with 145 events recorded over 30 years with a maximum magnitude of 4; therefore, this condition must be analysed in the assessment of geotechnical risks, even though the highest level reached is not critical. In addition, the presence of karst means that a detailed prior characterisation of the ground is required before founding, since cavities or underground dissolutions may exist that could compromise stability. The non-clayey substrate rules out expansivity risks; therefore, control of the karst and appropriate management of aquifers are the determining factors of the geotechnical study in the area.