Geotechnical study in Cardeñadijo

In Cardeñadijo, the dominant substrate is mainly made up of carbonate materials such as limestones, dolomites and marbles, accompanied in smaller proportions by sandstones, conglomerates and flysch. These rock types have good bearing capacities, which favours the feasibility of shallow foundations. Complementarily, a minor presence of Gypsum, Anhydrite and Salts is also detected, implying a potential risk of dissolution, especially under conditions involving water inflows; therefore, their areas must be assessed carefully before deciding the level of support. Compacted gravels and sands, although rare, may provide favourable support alternatives in those locations where they crop out.

The local seismicity of Cardeñadijo is very low, with 4 events over 30 years and a maximum magnitude of 1.7, which rules out the need to consider significant seismic factors in the design of structures. The non-clayey substrate eliminates the risk associated with expansive soils, facilitating the selection of conventional foundation solutions. As the main constraint, it is essential to identify any possible localised presence of soluble materials in order to avoid dissolution problems that could compromise the stability of the foundations.