Estudio geotécnico in Torralba de Calatrava

In Torralba de Calatrava, soils formed by limestones, dolomites and marbles predominate, known for their high competence and bearing capacity, which favours shallow or semi-deep direct foundations in most cases. However, there is a localised presence of deltaic muds and peats which, due to their low strength and high compressibility, must be avoided as a supporting level beneath any structure. The bed of compact gravel and sand provides a reliable alternative when found at an appropriate level, but the overall low permeability of the formations usually does not create immediate hydrogeological complications for the foundation.

The region is characterised by high seismicity, with more than 200 recorded events over 30 years and a maximum magnitude of 5.1, which requires structural projects to explicitly consider seismic actions both in design and in the calculation of foundations. The existence of a non-clayey substrate rules out expansivity problems, but the karstic nature of the dominant rock means that detailed checks of potential cavities or underground instabilities must be carried out before any construction intervention. The main constraint for the geotechnical study is verifying the karst risk alongside the requirement to comply with the current seismic code.