Geotechnical study in Castelló de la Plana/Castellón de la Plana

In Castelló de la Plana, fine sands and silts predominate, characterised by their frequent occurrence and adequate bearing capacity for civil engineering works, although they may exhibit a certain compressibility that must be assessed in detail. Occasional contributions from calcareous formations, as well as compact gravels and sands, are favourable for shallow foundations owing to their stability. Nevertheless, high-permeability aquifers are detected, which may require measures to control groundwater in the design and execution of the foundation.

Seismic activity in the municipality is high, with 171 events recorded in the last 30 years, although with a maximum magnitude of 3.4, so the structural risk is low but a basic seismic analysis should not be ignored. There is karst development in the subsurface, so the existence of large voids or cavities must be checked by means of the geotechnical study before proceeding with the foundation in order to avoid problems with delayed collapse. As the ground is non-clayey, the risk of expansivity as a conditioning factor is ruled out. Thus, the possible presence of karst is established as the main technical factor to investigate in depth.