TechTalks – Episode 3 : What impact on stability of the ground ?

The stability of the ground is a crucial consideration in various construction and engineering projects. One common question that arises is whether heating the unsaturated soil can have any notable impact on its stability. Let’s explore this topic further!

Research and practical experience have shown that during the heating process, the temporary decrease in density occurs due to the vaporization of water and pollutants. However, this decrease does not substantially alter the soil’s volume or structure.

In numerous urban projects, the application of Smart Burners at various depths, even as deep as 16 meters, has confirmed that thermal treatment does not notably affect the stability properties of unsaturated soil. This is because the evaporation of water in the non-saturated zone does not disturb soil aggregates, resulting in no significant physical displacement of soil particles.

Moreover, the drying process is limited to the treatment zone and any potential soil settling is compensated by a dense network of steel pipes embedded in the soil, with an average interdistance of 1.5 meters. This network effectively maintains the stability of the entire area.

However, it is worth noting that if groundwater lowering is involved, the impact on stability is similar to traditional groundwater lowering methods and needs to be carefully considered.

It’s important to mention that specific attention should be given to peat and severely clay soils, as they may exhibit more challenging behavior and require unique handling techniques.

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