Reduction of Settlements in Shallow Foundations through the Electroosmosis Technique in Buildings

Romero M.L.A.; Meza N.B.T.; Muñico E.C.R.; Fernandez M.A.L. · Civil Engineering and Architecture (2026) · DOI: 10.13189/cea.2026.140431

Resumen

This study evaluated the efficacy of electroosmosis in mitigating settlement and enhancing the mechanical properties of saturated fine-grained soil from the Mantaro Valley, potentially for application in shallow building foundations; the primary objective was to quantify the changes in induced drainage, shear strength, and consolidation properties upon the application of 10, 20, and 30 volts for 12 hours, in contrast to untreated soil; and the methodology involved electroosmosis tests carried out in a laboratory cell with electrodes placed 20 centimeters apart. During the tests, current, resistivity, and drained volume were recorded, along with direct shear and one-dimensional consolidation tests in an oedometer under ASTM standards. The results showed that both drained volume and flow rate increased as voltage rose, while electroosmotic permeability decreased and final resistivity increased, indicating electrochemical effects that may reduce efficiency at higher voltage gradients. The treatment improved shear strength by as much as 786.4% and reduced primary consolidation settlement by up to 75.1%, increasing the preconsolidation stress while also reducing the time required to reach 90% consolidation. It is concluded that electroosmosis is a viable alternative for densifying and stiffening saturated fine-grained soils, although voltage-time conditions still need to be optimized and validated at field scale. Future work should also assess energy consumption, electrode durability, and field-scale performance.

Instituciones: Universidad Continental