Soil erosion is one of the leading causes of foundation settlement and structural distress across the UAE. In sandy soils—common throughout Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and the Northern Emirates—water movement can wash out fines, form voids, weaken the soil matrix, and reduce bearing capacity.
Geopolymer injection is a highly effective, non-excavation ground improvement method that fills voids, densifies soil, and restores foundation support quickly and safely.
This article explains the technical mechanism, performance data, and why geopolymer injection is the most effective solution in erosion-affected UAE soils.
What causes soil erosion under buildings in the UAE?
Soil erosion beneath foundations happens due to several recurring site conditions:
- Leaking potable-water and drainage networks
- Poorly compacted sand backfill around foundations
- Irrigation runoff close to structures
- Rising groundwater levels or tidal effects in coastal plots
- Stormwater infiltration and inadequate drainage
- Buried utility trenches acting as erosion pathways
When fines migrate or voids form, the soil loses density and stiffness. The result is:
- Settlement
- Cracking in walls and slabs
- Loss of bearing capacity
- Differential movement across foundations
All of these issues can be reversed using geopolymer technology.
How Geopolymer injection works to reverse soil erosion
Geopolymer injection is based on resin expansion under confinement, allowing the material to fill voids, displace water, and densify surrounding soil.
1. Geopolymer penetration and void filling
A geopolymer is injected through 12–16 mm holes. It flows into:
- subterranean erosion cavities
- washout channels
- loosened or gap-graded zones
Once inside the soil matrix, it expands and solidifies.
2. Soil densification through confined expansion
Numerous laboratory studies show the resin can generate:
- 0.4–150 MPa expansion pressure under confinement
- 10–300 MPa stiffness modulus (E) after curing
- up to 15 MPa compressive strength
This confined expansion forces soil particles into a denser arrangement, increasing:
- qc values (CPT)
- SPT-N values
- Shear wave velocity (Vs)
- Horizontal effective stress (σ’h)
3. Formation of a soil–geopolymer composite
After curing, the ground behaves like a reinforced composite:
- Resin veins act as rigid inclusions
- Densified sand improves load transfer
- Hydraulic conductivity decreases to 10⁻⁹–10⁻¹⁰ m/s
- Re-erosion becomes unlikely
Technical performance backed by international research
Multiple full-scale trials from Europe, New Zealand, and North America confirm consistent improvements. Measured improvements after geopolymer injection
Across independent studies:
- CPT qc1Ncs increases of 70–100%
- Vs increases of ~40%
- Bearing capacity increases of 20–75%
- Static settlement reduction of 15–60%
- Liquefaction settlement reduction of 50–80%
These results are consistent in sands, silty sands, and mixed fills—the same materials found across UAE developments.
Performance under groundwater
Geopolymers:
- do not wash out
- react and harden underwater
- maintain structural integrity in saturated conditions
This provides a major advantage in coastal or high-water-table sites.
Geopolymer injection vs. traditional erosion repair methods
| Method | Issues |
Geopolymer advantages |
|---|---|---|
| Excavate & replacement | Disruptive, slow, requires access | No excavation, works under structures |
| Cementitious grouting | Washout risk, poor penetration, long cure | Expands chemically, cures in minutes, fills fine voids |
| Piling | Bypasses weak soil, very costly | Restores soil strength directly |
| Mechanical compaction | Impossible under existing buildings | Works beneath slabs and foundations |
Geopolymer injection is the only method that stabilizes soil from within without disturbing the structure above.
Where geopolymer injection is used for erosion problems in the UAE
Typical UAE applications include:
- Villas experiencing slab settlement
- Warehouses and industrial floors
- Shopping malls with voiding beneath slabs
- Roads, pavements, and car parks
- Basement perimeters where water has washed out backfill
- Foundations near swimming pools or irrigation systems
- Coastal villas or developments with tidal groundwater
- Utility corridors and manholes
Anywhere fines have been washed away, geopolymer is the most direct and practical repair.
Long-term durability of geopolymer treatment
The cured geopolymer:
- is chemically stable
- resists water absorption
- has closed-cell structure
- does not degrade underground
- maintains shape and strength for decades
Excavations more than 10 years after installation show the polymer intact, with no loss of strength or volume.
Why Geobear UAE is the regional leader in erosion repair
Geobear has delivered thousands of geopolymer projects globally and has established a specialised UAE team providing:
- foundation stabilisation
- erosion void treatment
- ground strengthening
- non-disruptive injection solutions
