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Geotechnical Study, Ramming Pole Test and Load Test for a PV solar power plant in Al Mafraq, Jordan

Last september-october 2015, GEOINTEC has conducted a geotechnical study for a photovoltaic solar plant in Al Mafrag, Jordan.

The study area is the north of Jordan (Al Mafraq) a few kilometers to the Syrian border. Besides its own logistical considerations for the area, a preliminary evaluation of the safety of the area was performed. This aspect is becoming increasingly important in the hot zones in the Middle East and parts of Africa.
Also, in addition to the geotechnical study, GEOINTEC had performed the ramming pole test, horizontal load tests and load tests combined.

The geotechnical study aims to determine the nature and properties of soil aspects necessary to design the structure, surface improvements and the type of foundation, considering the following objectives:

  • Identify constraints and geotechnical problems of the site under study.
  • Study of natural hazards. Identify and define the geological risks and assets geomorphological processes that may affect the new project. Geomorphological mapping include the following: escarpments or unstable areas, drainage channels, alluvial fans, processes of rapid erosion or deposition, dissolution or subsurface forms acarcavamiento, endorreicas surface areas with accumulation of salts: sabkkhas, salt and salt crusts, discharges due to human activity, rocky outcrops and evaluation of the effects of weathering processes, presence of unstable soils or very low bearing capacity).
  • Provide knowledge of geotechnical characteristics of the land, according to the project structure.
  • Existing zoning different lithologies in order to define the most appropriate foundations in each project area.
  • Determine the geotechnical parameters of each lithology detected for project design, where different solutions according to the foundation load stresses are discussed.
  • Recommendations for foundations of structures. Findings in relation to the overall stability of the foundation bearing capacity against the vertical ground failure, uprooting, horizontal ground failure, and structural failure.
  • Determine levels of corrosion and aggressiveness of the land to the maximum depth of execution of foundations.
  • Ramming and pull out test.
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