Optimización del diseño de cimentaciones con técnicas de precarga en suelos compresibles, Km.20 Vía Daule

Abstract

CONDITION FOR PUBLICATION OF PROJECT. The objective of this study is to design an efficient foundation solution in highly compressible clayey soils by applying the preloading technique to reduce long-term settlements and structural oversizing at kilometer 20 of the road to Daule. Through the CPTu and SDMT tests, it was identified that the study soil corresponded to strata of soft clay and firm silty clay located below the water table, therefore, they are saturated strata with considerably low permeability coefficients, establishing that they do not have the capacity to dissipate excess pore pressure. The behavior of the soil was modeled, previously establishing its geometry and geotechnical characteristics, using the Hardening Soil Model constitutive model through PLAXIS 2D software. This allowed identifying the necessary adjustments applied to the preload design in order to optimize consolidation time. These adjustments consisted of the implementation of 6,336 vertical drains with a depth of 18 meters and a square layout spaced 2 meters apart. Finally, it was established that, although the economic investment for implementing vertical drains increases by 77%, this alternative remains efficient because it reduces consolidation time by 93%, allowing for the prompt use of the land for economic activities. In conclusion, the implementation of preloading techniques with vertical drains is an effective alternative for improving highly compressible saturated soils. This design approach is replicable in soils with similar geotechnical conditions. KEY WORDS: Consolidation – Preload – Vertical Drains – Hardening Soil Model – Soft Soils