Estudio geotécnico in Villamayor de Santiago

In Villamayor de Santiago, the geological substrate is composed mainly of sandstones, conglomerates and flysch, accompanied by limestones, dolomites and marbles. These materials usually provide good bearing capacity and allow for shallow foundations in most situations. The occasional presence of gypsum, anhydrite and salts introduces the need to analyse the risk of dissolution in certain areas, while the low presence of compact gravel and sand provides favourable conditions when they are located. Slates and schists are infrequent, but must be taken into account if detected in the study area. The prevailing low permeability suggests stable behaviour from the viewpoint of surface hydrology.

Seismic risk in the municipality is very low, with only 4 recorded events in the last 30 years and a maximum magnitude (Mmax) of 3.2, which makes it possible to focus the geotechnical study on other aspects. The possible presence of karstic phenomena arising from the calcareous formations requires specific verification before designing any foundation, in order to avoid uncontrolled differential settlements. The absence of clayey substrates rules out problems of swelling, so the main focus should be on identifying karstic formations and risks of dissolution due to gypsum before designing the foundation strategy.