Volume changes in clayey expansive soils may result in the settlement or heave of structures, making such materials inappropriate in the design of soil structures. Lime and its derivatives provide an increase in the plastic limit of clay, and have gained considerable attention in soil stabilization techniques. In this regard, optimum lime addition combined with an innovative construction procedure provides new possibilities for the construction of roads in urban areas. In this study, the first straightforward strategy for the ionic immobilization of lime between clay laminar structures, based on a component self-assembly process, is presented. The method is applied to an area with expansive clays in the city of Madrid (Spain). The clayey soils were characterized by DRX, SEM, particle size distribution, swelling tests, and bearing capacity analyses. This strategy reduces the need for the transportation of discarded materials to landfill and the acquisition of new resources. In addition, the proposed methodology allows for a reduction in the environmental impact associated with urban development in expanding urban areas.

The pressuremeter test in boreholes has proven itself as a useful tool in geotechnical explorations, especially comparing its results with those obtained from a mathematical model ruled by a soil representative constitutive equation. The numerical model shown in this paper is aimed to be the reference framework for the interpretation of this test. The model analyses variables such as: the type of response, the initial state, the drainage regime and the constitutive equations. It is a model of finite elements able to work with a mesh without deformation or one adapted to it.

Chemical injection of expansive polyurethane resin in the ground is a well-known technology that is also used for underpinning shallow foundations. It is noteworthy that it has been recently used with success on buildings of great historic value that are part of the country’s architectural heritage. This article describes the work undertaken on a historic building located in the city of Cuenca (Spain), for improving ground condition through injecting below foundation, in order to stop the differential settlements detected in the structure. This technology has proven to be, at least, as effective as the more conventional methods used in the past as supporting the foundation by concrete shafts or micropiles.

A wide range of granular soils were laboratory prepared as base and sub-base materials in flexible pavements technology. The samples were produced according to the requirements defined in the Spanish General Technical Specifications for Roads and Bridge Works (PG-3), which links to the American Unified Soil Classification System (USCS). The lab-prepared granular soils were characterized by means of particle size distribution, Atterberg limits, non-standard Proctor and California Bearing Ratio (CBR). The determination of CBR has been performed considering the evolution of the penetrability up to one, two, three and four days of immersion. The results show that repeatable values within an acceptable degree of accuracy can be obtained, which indicates good quality laboratory testing conditions. Detailed analytical study is performed on the relationship between CBR index and maximum dry density, finding that a predicting model can be obtained from density variation to estimate representative CBR values for design. The results were compiled in a decision matrix using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to estimate a California bearing ratio value (CBR) versus maximum dry density.

Model uncertainty is present in many engineering problems but particularly in those involving geotechnical behavior of pile foundation. A wide range of soil conditions together with simplified numerical models makes it a constant necessity to review the accuracy of the predictions. In this paper, the outputs of some seventy (70) pile axially-loaded tests have been reviewed with a classic numerical model to assess pile deformation. Probabilistic approach has been used to quantify uncertainties coming from soil tests, statistic uncertainty and also from the model itself. In this way, a critical review of the prediction method and a way to quantify its uncertainty is presented. The method is intended to be used in a wide range of engineering problems.

An analysis of the geotechnical information obtained from a large number of field tests (pressuremeter) and laboratory tests (identification, state, and mechanics) on the clay deposits in the small tertiary basins associated with the Alentejo–Plasencia fault in the province of Caceres (Spain) has made it possible to classify them and predict their response to different levels of stress and strain. This geotechnical classification process must consider an appropriate model of constitution. The present article is based on the use of the Hardening Soil Model to facilitate predictions of the stress–strain behaviour of these tertiary clay deposits.