Material replacement under foundation
Material replacement under foundation
February 28, 2019What is material replacement? Material replacement is the process of removing the existing and installing materials with better properties which are achieved by controlled installation. This is one of the most common foundation soil improvement processes applied when low soil physical and mechanical properties are present under the foundation. The purpose of the material replacement […]
Soil liquefaction
Soil liquefaction
February 22, 2019Local soil conditions have a significant effect on damage to structures caused by earthquakes. During an earthquake, different kinds of soil conduct generated seismic waves in different ways and their effect on structures depends on the characteristics of the foundation soil. Many earthquakes, such as those that occurred in Japan in 1964 (Niigata) and in […]
Potential geological hazards in the Rječina valley
Potential geological hazards in the Rječina valley
February 14, 2019Geological hazards are geological processes that can potentially lead to material destruction and human victims. If these negative effects occur, we are talking about a natural disaster. To understand natural disasters and assess their impact (risk) on humans, it is necessary to determine: Where some types of hazards could occur and why? How often these […]
Point load test (PLT)
Point load test (PLT)
February 7, 2019The Point load test is an index test by which the rock is classified according to the strength. The test can be used to estimate other characteristics of intact rocks with which it correlates, such as uniaxial compressive and tensile strength. The test determines the strength index values at a point (Is (50)) and the […]
Using unmanned aircraft systems and 3D models for designing slope remediation projects
Using unmanned aircraft systems and 3D models for designing slope remediation projects
January 31, 2019The demand for faster design and construction work, especially in transport infrastructure and infrastructure projects, has led to the need for faster and more accurate field recording and data processing methods. One of the newer technologies used in the last fifteen years is point cloud technology. This is a set of points of known spatial […]
Block toppling
Block toppling
January 24, 2019Block toppling represents one of the most common types of instability, specifically structurally conditioned failure within the rock mass. Toppling occurs on slopes in rock masses where the strata dip steeply away from the slope, striking parallel or sub-parallel to it. In toppling, rotation of unstable blocks in overhangs occurs due to failure at the […]
Reinforced soil retaining structures
Reinforced soil retaining structures
January 17, 2019The stability of reinforced soil retaining structures is based on the interaction of tensile elements (armature) and the surrounding backfilled soil. Their execution is done by the embankment behind the front side of the retaining structure being combined with tensile elements such as geomesh, traps etc. The front side of the structure serves to prevent […]
Use od spectral analysis of surface waves (SASW) for foundation soil improvement quality control
Use od spectral analysis of surface waves (SASW) for foundation soil improvement quality control
December 20, 2018What is foundation soil improvement? Soil improvement includes a range of compaction and mixing technologies of the existing and new soil in which the natural soil transforms into a new material. Using soil improvement methods, it is possible to increase the soil load bearing capacity, reduce or keep under control total and differential settlements, reduce […]
Rockfall remediation – Hrvatska Kostajnica
Rockfall remediation – Hrvatska Kostajnica
December 6, 2018Hrvatska Kostajnica is located on the very south-eastern edge of central Croatia, on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The town is located in the river Una valley, at the eastern foot of Zrinska gora and is surrounded by foothills in the west and north. Hrvatska Kostajnica is Croatian town whose name is first mentioned […]
Tunnel of the future in Northern Europe
Tunnel of the future in Northern Europe
November 29, 2018Norway is a country of fjords and glaciers, lakes, mountains, forests and wooden houses in fishing villages and legendary myths. However, the most famous symbols of Norway are fjords, winding sea bays emerald green in color. These are actually sunken valleys of former icebergs which have been hollowed by mechanical erosion, deep below sea level […]
Foundation soil improvement of the Zaprešić – Zabok railway line R201
Foundation soil improvement of the Zaprešić – Zabok railway line R201
November 23, 2018The company Geotech Ltd. is a part of the project that includes modernization of the Zaprešić-Zabok railway line R201. This is a section of the Zagorje line, leading to Čakovec with a regional character (R201 Zaprešić – Bedekovčina – Čakovec) and plays an important role in passenger transport in the area of Zagreb agglomeration. For […]
Protective mesh
Protective mesh
November 15, 2018Rockfall is one of the most dangerous types of instability in the rock mass. Since this phenomenon is common in mountainous areas, suitable geotechnical interventions for existing infrastructure protection (roads, railways, etc.) are needed. One of the most favourable methods of rock slope protection in such cases is the application of a protective mesh. Basic […]
Protection of rock slope cut 51 Lokve on the Zagreb-Rijeka railway line
Protection of rock slope cut 51 Lokve on the Zagreb-Rijeka railway line
November 8, 2018The protection of rock slope cut 51 on the railway line M202 Zagreb GK – Rijeka (near the Lokve railway station) has just been completed. The works lasted from April to October 2018. The protection of the rock slope was carried out because of the rockfall danger on the track and other infrastructure elements. The […]
How to determine the age of a rock?
How to determine the age of a rock?
October 29, 2018The age of a rock is determined by stratigraphy, a branch in geology which studies the chronology of events and changes, along with the development of organisms, which have determined the development of the Earth from when it became an independent spatial body until today. The age, or the chronology of geological creations and events […]
Realizator 2018.
Realizator 2018.
October 19, 2018The University of Rijeka Foundation presented the third edition of the university case study contest “Realizator 2018”. The grand opening of the university case study competition was held on October 17th, in the premises of the STEPRI – Education Center of the University Campus in Rijeka. What is Realizator? The Realizator case study competition was […]
Open pit protection – Roxanich Heritage Wine Hotel and wine cellar
Open pit protection – Roxanich Heritage Wine Hotel and wine cellar
October 4, 2018At the site of the old cooperative cellar, built in 1902, at the foothill of the Istrian town Motovun, design for the construction of Roxanich Heritage Wine Hotel and wine cellar was launched. The selection of the old Motovun cellar as a specific place for the construction of a new wine center aims at expanding […]
How to build on unstable terrains and avoid landslides?
How to build on unstable terrains and avoid landslides?
September 27, 2018How to avoid landslides? In today’s blog, we present you examples of good practice in building structures on potentially unstable slopes. The temperatures are falling, the autumn is in front of us and we are expecting soon, wanting or not, the rainy periods that will actualize the subject in geotechnical engineering – LANDSLIDES. We have […]
The 10 megaprojects through history
The 10 megaprojects through history
September 20, 2018We are living in world full of miracles made by human. From the world’s longest to the world’s tallest project in civil engineering. They all have been constructed for some purpose: maybe for defense, transport or luxury, in every way engineering has taken a great leap to create these miracles. The following engineering projects qualify […]
Light dynamic penetrometer (DPL)
Light dynamic penetrometer (DPL)
September 6, 2018About light dynamic penetrometer Light dynamic penetrometer (DPL) is used for testing the thickness of different soil layers, control of soil density or consistency and determination of strength and deformation parameters. In general, if the ground is not too dense or consistant, penetration tests can be carried out to depths of about 8 to 12 […]
Landslides
Landslides
August 31, 2018We have all heard about landslides. In news there are mostly mentioned in negative way, because they are identified with hazardous consequences and human victim. Lots of landslides are activated in a short period of time, due to extreme hydrological conditions in a relatively small area. What exactly are landslides? What are the most common […]
Pile wall
Pile wall
August 23, 2018Piles are circular structural elements executed in the ground for the purpose of transferring vertical and horizontal loads into deeper and better layers of the foundation soil. Executing piles in the near vicinity, a pilot wall is formed and it is used as a temporary or permanent retaining structure in soil mass. Pile wall is […]
Pile integrity test
Pile integrity test
August 2, 2018What is pile integrity test? Pile integrity test covers the procedure for determining the integrity of individual vertical or inclined piles by measuring and analyzing the velocity (required) and force (optional) response of the pile induced by an (hand held hammer or other similar type) impact device usually applied axially and perpendicularly to the pile […]
Permeability test – Lugeon test
Permeability test – Lugeon test
July 26, 2018Why we need permeability test? Permeability test is necessary on terrain where are predicted soakaways which store water after big rainfall and provide efficient soil infiltration. Usually they are used in areas where surface run-off cannot be disposed into existing sewers or watercourses. A Soakaway is constructed in one of two basic forms: Conventional soakaway […]
Geological structure of Istria
Geological structure of Istria
July 19, 2018What is geology? Geology is an earth science concerned with the solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Geology demonstrates the history of the Earth and provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and the Earth’s past climates. Understanding […]
Rockfall barriers
Rockfall barriers
July 11, 2018About rockfalls In mountain regions, infrastructure falicities and settlements are commonly to rockfall hazards. Transportation infrastructure, such as roads or railways, often has to pass through potentially hazardous mountain areas where it is possible to rockfall. Rockfall is defined as a free falling rock which is detached from rock mass and is moving downwards while […]
Open pit protection – Tobacco Factory Rovinj (TDR)
Open pit protection – Tobacco Factory Rovinj (TDR)
July 5, 2018As a part of the Tobacco Factory Rovinj in Kanafanar, the reconstruction and extension of the hall is under development within the existing factory complex. For the construction, it was necessary to execute the open pit protection, so we carried out geotechnical exploration and investigations for this purpose and made the main and the detailed […]
Exploratory drilling
Exploratory drilling
June 29, 2018Exploratory drilling represents common underground research methods in geotechnical investigation works. It provides visual insight into the geological and geotechnical profile of the explored site. The most important result of the exploratory drilling is the drilling core that represents the depth profile of the studied position. In the way of performance, we differentiate the following […]
Protection of the rock slope on the part of state road D501, between Hreljin and Križišće
Protection of the rock slope on the part of state road D501, between Hreljin and Križišće
June 14, 2018Protection of the rock slope Geotechnical works on protection of slopes on parts of state road D501, between Hreljin and Križišće are in progress. For these parts of state road D501 we have already carried out exploration works and made the main design and detailed design. State road D501 was conduct with cutting in natural […]
What are self drilling anchors?
What are self drilling anchors?
June 7, 2018Self drilling anchors Self drilling anchors are special type of rod anchors. Self-drilling anchor consists of a sacrificial drill bit, hollow steel bar of the appropriate outer and inner diameter and coupling nuts. The anchor body is made of a hollow steel tube with an outer round thread. Steel tube has the sacrificial drill bit […]
Reconstruction and conversion of a former Croatian post office building in Rijeka
Reconstruction and conversion of a former Croatian post office building in Rijeka
May 18, 2018Geotechnical exploration, investigation and foundation remediation for a former Croatian post office building in Rijeka A reconstruction and conversion of a former Croatian post office building in the street Korzo, in Rijeka, is currently underway.The Croatian post office building, the so-called Main post, was built in 1887. as an administrative-business building of the Royal Hungarian […]
Gabion walls
Gabion walls
May 11, 2018Gabion walls – function, application, advantage The word „gabion“ comes from an old italian word, gabbione, that means „big cage“. Around 7000 years ago, early gabion type structures protected the bank of river Nile. In middle ages, gabions were used as military forts. In earlier history, civil engineers have extensively used gabions for stabillization of […]
Georadar
Georadar
May 4, 2018Georadar (Ground penetrating radar) Ground penetrating radar is a geophysical method that uses radar impulses for getting an image of subsurface state and condition. Georadar is applied for: – locating and marking of underground installations (power, water, gas, optics, abandoned pipes, illegal connections etc.) – archaeological exploration (fort, walls, object and bone […]
How to determine number and depth of exploration boreholes?
How to determine number and depth of exploration boreholes?
April 27, 2018Number and depth of exploration boreholes Like we have written in previous blogs, exploration works, geotechnical exploration works are an important part of each project. Unquality and unprofessional exploration works can lead to structural damage and costly and difficult remediation. The position and depth of exploration and investigation has to be selected based […]
Open pit protection for Hotel Sensatori in Dubrovnik – reinforced concrete piles and strand anchors
Open pit protection for Hotel Sensatori in Dubrovnik – reinforced concrete piles and strand anchors
April 20, 2018Open pit protection Within the existing complex Plat, near Dubrovnik, a reconstruction and construction of a hotel complex Hotels Plat is foreseen. The complex is located in the municipality Župa dubrovačka, on a mild peninsula Plat on the east coast of a spacious coav. The whole complex of hotel Plat is spread across 6.3 […]
Why the Tower of Pisa commence to lean? And how the inclination was stabilised?
Why the Tower of Pisa commence to lean? And how the inclination was stabilised?
April 10, 2018The Tower of Pisa is the bell tower of the Cathedral and it is one of the monuments within the medieval Piazza dei Miracoli. Its construction began in 1173 and it was continued (with two long interruptions) for about two hundred years until 1370. The construction process can be seen in the illustration below. As […]
Geotechnical exploration works – introductory part
Geotechnical exploration works – introductory part
April 4, 2018Geotechnical exploration works Geotechnical exploration works present one of the most important part in the developing phase of a new investment and a geotechnical designer should be included in the earliest possible phase of design. A large part of our business is connected to geotechnical exploration and investigation and their quality is a precondition for […]
Exploration works for a dry dock in Brodosplit
Exploration works for a dry dock in Brodosplit
March 29, 2018The shipyard Brodosplit is located in the Split-dalmacija province, in the northern part of Split. More accurately it is located on the north bank of the Split peninsula in the Kaštelan bay. The shipyard produces military and civil vessels and is spread across an area of 560.000 meters squared. A construction of a dry dock […]
Lošinj – Design solution for a retaining wall remediation
Lošinj – Design solution for a retaining wall remediation
March 23, 2018Retaining Wall Remediation The retaining wall is located in the town of Mali Lošinj, along the Veloselska street (state road DC100) next to a sidewalk of the existing road. The wall has the function of a retaining wall for a parking lot located above the road. Cracks, as well as an inclination of the major […]
Foundation remediation with jet grouting
Foundation remediation with jet grouting
March 19, 2018Jet grouting Jet grouting is one of the technologies of foundation remediation. Foundation remediation of the buildings that are in function is very complex and it is necessary to adjust the technology to the conditions on site. Jet grouting is a soil improvement method that converts a certain volume of soil into a […]
Rockfall protection – influence tunnel area Brzet
Rockfall protection – influence tunnel area Brzet
March 9, 2018Rockfall protection Rockfalls are usually initiated by natural forces, such as weather processes, erosion, heavy rains or earthquakes. Strong winds or storms can lead to falling of trees and vegetation that can cause rockfalls. Tree roots, their spreading and search for water-enriched micro-locations can also cause cracking of rock masses along the discontinuities and […]
Foudation remediation by using expanding geopolymers
Foudation remediation by using expanding geopolymers
March 2, 2018Expanding geopolymers Deep injection of expanding geopolymers is a relatively new and innovative way of solving foundation settlement problem. The original idea comes from Scandinavia, where the first experiments were made in 1975. The method is based on the principle that a special expanding geopolymer is injected underneath the foundation with a pressure […]
Dynamic plate – ideal tool for determining soil constrained modulus
Dynamic plate – ideal tool for determining soil constrained modulus
February 23, 2018Dynamic plate For the beginning, let us consider a hypothetical scenario. A building has been constructed, e.g. a business warehouse. The new owner has begun noticing cracks in the walls and even a light-leaning of the building after a certain time. The problems are probably large settlements of soil under the building’s foundations. In that […]
Former industrial complex Rikard Benčić – from tobacco factory to a cultural district
Former industrial complex Rikard Benčić – from tobacco factory to a cultural district
February 19, 2018Geotechnical exploration and investigation and foundation design for Rikard Benčić In 1851, the production of tobacco started in an existing building of the old Sugar Refinery. At that time, it served as an administrative building for the tobacco factory, and then as an engine factory “Rikard Benčić”.The complex was expanded by a historicist four-story building […]
Foundation remediation – introduction
Foundation remediation – introduction
February 9, 2018Foundation remediation technologies – When? Why? How? Whether you are an investor, an architect, a structural engineer, a supervising engineer or a designer, if you are interested in this subject you have probably come across this kind of problem. When the need for foundation remediation appears it is probably due to occurred unaccepted total or […]
Geotech’s short history – first 10 years
Geotech’s short history – first 10 years
February 2, 2018Geotech’s history This year we are celebrating our 10th anniversary, and as a manager and the owner of the company, I was chosen to write a short blog about the first 10 years of Geotech. My task was to describe the most memorable moments – the greatest successes and failures, most significant projects, some […]
Jet grouting – verification of the design requirements
Jet grouting – verification of the design requirements
January 24, 2018Soil improvement method: Jet grouting Jet grouting is a soil improvement method that converts a certain volume of soil into a mortar, breaking down the soil structure using high energy fluid jets. The normal pressure used for jet grouting is approximately 500 bars, and the injection speed is about 300 m / s (1080 km […]
Remediation of eastern fortification walls in the town of Krk – from geotechnical report to building supervision
Remediation of eastern fortification walls in the town of Krk – from geotechnical report to building supervision
January 15, 2018Wall remediation of eastern fortification walls Krk’s fortification walls consist of several town gates, castles and two independent towers. These fortification walls date back to the 6th century BC. Those prehistoric walls were mentioned for the first time in an inscription of their renewal from the 1st century BC, which is situated today in […]
Foundation design of the garage beside Hotel Adriatic in Opatija – a combination of shallow foundations and deep foundations
Foundation design of the garage beside Hotel Adriatic in Opatija – a combination of shallow foundations and deep foundations
January 9, 2018Foundation design of the garage As part of the existing hotel Adriatic in Opatija, it is necessary to extend the parking capacity and it was decided to build a multi-story parking building (G + 3 floors) at the back of the hotel. The location of the future garage is located on the southern […]
Geotech | Company profile
Geotech | Company profile
December 15, 2017Geotech Company profile Company Geotech Ltd is a company specialized in designing, supervision and consulting in geotechnical engineering. Our services are: Geotechnical exploration and investigation for all kind of structure Open pit protection of hotels and touristic objects, shopping centers, residential and business buildings Retaining structures in the near vicinity of objects of transport infrastructure, […]
Tunnel „T16“ precut protection- Construction of New Railway Section Kriva Palanka – Border with Republic of Bulgaria | Macedonia |
Tunnel „T16“ precut protection- Construction of New Railway Section Kriva Palanka – Border with Republic of Bulgaria | Macedonia |
December 12, 2017Precut protection for the tunnel A challenging project we worked in the last couple of months is the precut protection for the tunnel „T16“ on the New Railway Section Kriva Palanka – Border with the Republic of Bulgaria, as Part of Corridor VIII. A interesting fact about corridor VIII is that it’s crossing the Republic […]
BIM World 2017 conference in Munich
BIM World 2017 conference in Munich
December 11, 2017Our trip to BIM World conference On November 29 and 30, 2017, we participated in the conference BIM World 2017 in Munich within Munchnen Messea. The Conference represents one of the biggest events on the topic of BIM in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The Conference was attended by more than 120 exhibitors, 2000 visitors […]
Repair of the Dražica wastewater outfall
Repair of the Dražica wastewater outfall
December 6, 2017One of our current untypical projects is located in the Kraljevica harbor, which is the Dražica wastewater outfall and it stretches from the seacoast wall to the center of the Kraljevica harbor towards the west. The outfall pipe is completely underneath the sea level, and the outfall ends at a depth of approximately 13.00 meters […]
Interview – Mirko Grošić
Interview – Mirko Grošić
November 28, 2017MEET MIRKO GROŠIĆ When did your love towards civil engineering start? My love towards engineering and technical science started when I was young, but I started to like civil engineering on my 3rd year of faculty when I got the true impression of what civil engineering is through lectures and after visiting a construction […]
Tunnel Kupjak remediation
Tunnel Kupjak remediation
November 17, 2017Tunnel remediation We remember one of our interesting projects on the Kupjak tunnel, which is located on the railway M202 Zagreb GK – Rijeka. The town of Kupjak was named after the nearby Kupjak peak under which is the source of the Kupica spring, and it is interesting that there are four places of […]
Building pit protection of Roxanich’s hotel and wine cellar in BIM
Building pit protection of Roxanich’s hotel and wine cellar in BIM
November 6, 2017Pit protection of Roxanich’s hotel and wine cellar At the site of the old cooperative cellar, built in 1902, at the foothill of the Istrian town of Motovun, a project whose investment worth 10.000.000,00 euros has been launched. This attractive project for the construction of Roxanich Heritage Wine Hotel and a 5-story wine cellar was […]