Automatic compensation of foundation deformations on unevenly-compressed frozen soils by using pneumomembranes

Introduction. Ground subsidence during thawing of permafrost causes deformation of buildings and structures located in the permafrost zone. Previously, it was assumed that frozen soils have a stable bearing capacity, but in the context of modern warming, thawing processes are becoming more frequent, which could become a key engineering challenge in the future. Experts are faced with the task of methods development for buildings adapting to the changing conditions. One of the promising directions is the use of slab foundations on pneumatic membranes capable of compensating for uneven subsidence due to controlled pressure in air circuits. The article discusses the principles of operation of such technology using the example of tray testing, its limitations and potential applications in conditions of degradation of permafrost soils.

Aim. Obtaining experimental data on technology for compensation of uneven subsidence of foundations of buildings and structures by automatically monitoring and maintaining the original position of the building foundation.

Materials and methods. The methodology consisted of analyzing archival, regulatory and other technical literature on deformation compensation methods and determining the directions of experimental research, development of the work program, conducting numerical modeling and tray studies, analyzing and summarizing them, as well as testing the membrane for strength.

Results. In the course of the research, recommendations were formulated to minimize uneven foundation deposits on multi-year frozen soils that contract unevenly with increasing temperature. An approach using elastic support membranes and an automatic control system is proposed to ensure the preservation of the design position of the foundation.

Conclusions. The automatic system is able to operate stably and correctly and effectively ensure timely air supply to the membrane to maintain an almost invariable “zero” position of the foundation slab. Experiments have shown the possibility of using this technology, but its implementation requires an even larger range of experiments.

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