Estudio geotécnico in Riotuerto

In the municipality of Riotuerto, formations of limestones, dolomites and marbles predominate, as well as sandstones and conglomerates, which implies the existence of competent bedrock in most of the territory. This type of soil, of a hard nature, generally provides good load-bearing capacity conditions for shallow or direct foundations. However, in areas where sandstones and flysch outcrop, local variations in strength and ground integrity may occur, making it advisable to carry out detailed characterisation using in situ and laboratory tests before determining the most suitable foundation system.

Seismicity in Riotuerto is very low, with only a single event recorded in the last three decades and a maximum magnitude of 1.6, which does not impose any special requirements in terms of structural seismic design. Given that there is significant presence of carbonate materials (limestones and dolomites), the possible existence of karst processes should be verified, as these could affect the homogeneity and stability of the ground for foundations; this is the main constraint in geotechnical planning, above risks of expansivity, which are completely ruled out by the non-clayey bedrock.