Mejoramiento de terreno afectado por grietas para la cimentación de viviendas de mampostería

Abstract

This work refers to the problem of soil cracking that affects a large part of the former lake area of the valley of Mexico. The effect of cracks on the behavior of masonry houses is studied by means of simulations performed using the Discrete Elements Method. Specifically, the cracks with escarpment occurring in the transition zones between soft and firm soils of the city are considered. The models reproduce qualitatively the deformation and fracturing mechanisms that are typically observed in the affected buildings. It is evidenced that by including a dissipative box of granular material in the foundation, the damages in the houses are reduced considerably. In addition, the expected behavior of the foundation of typical new housing build in the area is reviewed and some complementary recommendations for improvement of the foundation ground are given.