Geotechnical study in Sant Quintí de Mediona

In Sant Quintí de Mediona, the dominant substrate corresponds to formations of sandstone, conglomerates and flysch, accompanied in smaller proportions by gravels, compact sands and occasional outcrops of limestones, dolomites and marbles. These materials exhibit low permeability at the surface, although they may contain aquifers at depth. The bearing capacity of the soils is generally adequate for standard building, allowing for conventional shallow foundations; however, attention must be paid to the local lithological variability and to the potential presence of occasional gravel or limestone levels, which may modify the geotechnical response.

With regard to associated risks, the recorded seismicity is very low, with only two events over thirty years and a low maximum magnitude, so this factor does not significantly condition the structural design. However, given the possible development of karst processes in the carbonate materials, it will be essential to carry out a specific check for the presence of cavities or solution features before proceeding with the foundations. As the risk of expansiveness is ruled out by the non-clayey nature of the substrate, the main focus should be on appropriately characterising any potential karst voids in order to ensure the long-term stability of any structure.