Challenge
A major salt production facility in Abu Dhabi faced significant operational disruption due to 100mm of settlement caused by unstable Sabkha soil. The factory required a solution that would not interrupt its 24/7 production.
Solution
Geobear utilized deep geopolymer injection to densify the loose Sabkha soil and fill voids. The non-disruptive process stabilized the ground and re-leveled the floor in just seven days while the factory remained fully operational.
Time on-site to complete the stabilization and lift
Maximum settlement corrected
High-density structural resin injected to secure the foundation
Approximately one-third of the world’s land surface falls within arid climate zones, where Sabkha soils are a prominent feature. In the UAE, these soils are characterized by their loose, compressible nature and extremely high salt content. The Sama Salt Factory, which currently produces over 250,000 tons of salt annually, is built on this challenging terrain. As the facility planned to expand production to over two million tons, the stability of the ground became a critical concern.
The facility was suffering from severe differential settlement, with some areas sinking by as much as 100mm. This resulted in uneven concrete floors that disrupted machinery operations and threatened safety. The root cause was the Sabkha soil: when wet, the salt-binding agents in the soil dissolved, causing the structure to collapse.
Traditional mechanical stabilization (like dynamic compaction) or chemical grouting (cement) were unsuitable because they would require heavy machinery, create damaging vibrations, and—crucially—force the factory to shut down operations during the repair. A high water table further complicated the stability of the site.
Geobear implemented a specialist geopolymer injection solution designed to resist the hydration-dehydration cycles of Sabkha soil.
Access: We deployed 65 injection points through small (16mm) diameter holes drilled through the existing slab, requiring no excavation.
Injection: We injected 1,405 kg of expansive geopolymer resin into the weak soil layers.
Mechanism: The resin expanded to fill voids and bind the loose soil particles together, densifying the ground without being affected by the high salinity or water table.
Lifting: In addition to stabilization, the controlled expansion allowed us to lift the subsided floor sections back to their original level.
The project was completed in just seven days with zero interruption to the factory's daily output.
Operational continuity: The factory continued running throughout the works.
Restored standards: The rapid stabilization restored operational efficiency and brought the facility back to satisfactory municipal standards within six weeks of the initial contact.
Long-term stability: The hydro-insensitive geopolymer created a permanent, stable base resistant to the aggressive Sabkha environment.
Don't let settlement disrupt your production. We stabilize loose ground and lift floors without downtime.
