A labour accommodation facility in Jebel Ali, Dubai experienced severe differential settlement affecting multiple pad foundations, leading to visible structural damage and serviceability concerns.
The issue was traced to subsurface weakening caused by water leakage from a nearby tank, which altered soil conditions beneath the structure.
Geobear was appointed to stabilize the foundations using its geopolymer injection solution, providing a fast, non-disruptive alternative to conventional underpinning.
Severe Differential Settlement
Root Cause
Water leakage led to:
Observed Damage
Signs of ground instability around footings
Geotechnical Testing (DCPT)
Very low resistance at foundation depth:
Equivalent SPT N60 ≈ 2 – 11 (loose soil condition)
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Geophysical Survey (MASW)
Identified a weak layer between 1.5 m and 2.5 m depth
Shear wave velocity:
129–300 m/s (low stiffness zone)
The structure was founded on loose to medium sand weakened by water ingress.
Competent strata existed below ~4 m depth, confirming a localized problem.
Geobear implemented a targeted ground improvement program using expanding geopolymer material.
Execution Approach
Total material used: of Approximately 1 tonnes of injection material
Method Advantages
Mechanism
The geopolymer:
Increases:
Verification and Testing
Pre and Post injections DCPT testing and MASW survey were carried out to verify the effectiveness of the treatment
1. DCPT / SPT Improvement
Test 1 Results
N60 increased from ~4.8 → ~18.4
Allowable bearing capacity:
82 kPa → 309 kPa (~3.8× increase)
Results
| Condition | Average N60 | ϕ (deg) | q_ult (kPa) | q_allow (kPa) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before Injection | ≈4.77 | ≈21.3 | ≈246 | ≈82 |
| After Injection | ≈18.38 | ≈30.9 | ≈927 | ≈309 |
A MASW survey was carried out to assess ground stiffness before and after treatment. Results identified a low-velocity zone at 1.5–2.5 m depth (Vs ≈ 129–300 m/s), corresponding to weak, moisture-affected soils responsible for the observed settlement.
Following Geobear’s Geopolymer Injection, a clear increase in shear wave velocity was recorded within the same depth range, confirming improved soil stiffness, density, and continuity.
Deeper layers (>4 m) remained consistently dense and unaffected, confirming that the issue was localized and successfully targeted.
Overall, the MASW results independently verify that the treatment eliminated the weak zone and restored ground stiffness beneath the foundations.
The treatment achieved:
This directly translated into:
Structural Performance
Ground Performance
Weak zone successfully treated
Soil stiffness and density significantly enhanced
Verified by both geotechnical and geophysical methods
Project Success
Delivered with minimal disruption
Avoided costly underpinning or reconstruction
Achieved >3× improvement in bearing capacity
Don't let unstable ground put your business at risk. Our commercial team can provide a clear assessment and a fast, effective solution tailored to your operational needs.
