Estudio geotécnico in Urduña/Orduña

In Urduña/Orduña, carbonate materials such as limestones, dolomites and marbles clearly predominate, making up most of the geological substrate. These soils, which are highly competent and have high bearing capacity, allow safe direct foundations when those levels are reached. The low frequency of overconsolidated clays and marls hardly affects the design, and the generally low permeability limits the influence of groundwater on foundation stability.

Seismicity in the municipality is notable, with 94 recorded events over 30 years, although the maximum magnitude is moderate (Mmax 3.7), so seismic effects must be analysed for individual projects. Of particular relevance is the presence of karst, which is common in this domain of carbonate rocks; its verification is essential before building foundations in order to avoid instability problems arising from possible cavities. The non-clayey substrate rules out risks of expansivity; in this setting, the main factor is the presence of karst processes associated with the calcareous substrate.