Scientists in Perm have proposed a cost-effective solution for strengthening foundations.

In the design and construction of buildings, weak soil foundations with low load-bearing capacity and high compressibility are often encountered. To reinforce and enhance their characteristics, reinforcing elements such as fiber materials are utilized, which strengthen the soil foundation of the structure. However, completely replacing weak soil with fiber-reinforced alternatives is often impractical and may prove to be economically unfeasible. Researchers at Perm Polytechnic University have proposed a more cost-effective method for strengthening foundation bases that significantly reduces material usage while maintaining the same level of effectiveness.

2024-11-28 10:02:10https://naked-science.ru/article/column/variant-ukrepleniya-funda

The article with the results has been published in the journal "Bulletin of Higher Educational Institutions. Construction". The research was conducted as part of the strategic academic leadership program "Priority 2030".

The reinforcement of soil with fiber is achieved by introducing and distributing short, high-strength elements (fibers) throughout the soil foundation. The strengthening of retaining walls and embankment slopes using this method has been studied, but the specifics of using fiber-reinforced soil as a building foundation remain largely unexplored.

Its strength characteristics are significantly superior to those of weak, unreinforced foundations. Fiber-reinforced soil enhances the load-bearing capacity of the ground, reduces the foundation's base area, and minimizes settlement. However, despite these advantages, completely replacing a weak foundation under buildings is a very costly and impractical procedure.

Scientists from Perm Polytechnic have investigated the potential of using fiber-reinforced soil cushions laid on weak natural soil foundations. This method was compared with a foundation fully replaced by fiber-reinforced soil and unreinforced soil.

For each variant, the polytechnic researchers calculated the strength and deformation characteristics of the foundation, determined the soil resistance, the base area of the foundation, and its settlement.

"Soil that is fully reinforced with fibers allows for a reduction in the foundation's base area, thereby decreasing the material consumption by 1.8 times. Moreover, the calculation results showed that the partial addition of fibers can reduce the volume of construction work by up to three times in various soil conditions. It is particularly important that the foundation settlement is not significantly greater and does not exceed permissible limits," says Andrey Ponomarev, a professor in the Department of "Construction Production and Geotechnics" at PNIPU, Doctor of Technical Sciences.

The scientists at Perm Polytechnic found that the use of fiber-reinforced soil cushions also effectively increases the strength of the foundation and its load resistance, while this method is much more cost-effective, significantly reducing the amount of reinforcing elements needed and shortening construction times.