Academic research
As of the earlier years of NIIOSP existence, in parallel with the Institute growth and development in the field of foundation engineering, the national school of soil mechanics began its evolution to rise upto the level of theoretical basis for foundation engineering.
Computation methods of buildings and structures foundation settlements were elaborated. A truly revolutionary move recognized in SNiP II-Б. 1-62 (National Construction Norms and Regulations) constitutes the introduction of the limit-state stresses computation to supersede the permissible stresses calculation method. This has provided ample opportunities for the needs of the innovative construction.
Alongside the academic progress, experimental studies were launched to investigate the common factors of deformation for structurally unstable soils which, in fact, are quite common around the country, i.e. collapsible, swelling, saline, carstified, loose, filled types, etc. Special techniques applied in course of construction activities on the permafrost rocks and melting soils underwent extensive analysis. Success was attained in the sphere of the rocks artificial transformation.
Required calculation and design methods were specially elaborated for application in severe natural and climate-relevant events and adverse soil conditions when constructing pile, raft foundations and piled rafts, oversized pile clusters and fields, barrettes and other highly-efficient foundation structures.
Consequently, multistorey urban and underground development has become accomplishable in the vast territories previously considered unfit for expansive development.
In view of the underground structures, rock mechanics reveals significant progressive growth. This contributes to addressing problems related to interactions of the underground structure with a host environment and other superstructures located in the immediate vicinity thereof.
There is a recent trend in soil mechanics devised within the Institute and currently making its headway, namely technological soil mechanics which investigates the afore stated interactions taking place in course of the construction activities as well as in the presence of any destabilizing effects impacting the rocks.
Significant advances have been made by the Institute in terms of protection of the territories and existing development against any possible hazardous natural and man-induced effects.
Within the range of other Institute achievements the following are highlighted: in-house elaborated high-efficiency foundations for the buildings of various functional destinations, methods and ways of their computation, design and construction; soil structural properties evaluation, monitoring and possible improvement thereof.
It is notable that the major part of the academic and applied achievements and resources served grounds for compiling currently effective regulatory and guideline documents valid in Moscow and throughout the Russian Federation in the field of foundation engineering and underground development.
The Institute professional divisions can be contracted for performance of the services as summarized below:
- Various studies in the sphere of foundation engineering and underground construction
- Optimum performance determination for foundations and substructures of different functionality alongside the technology screening to be the best match in terms of safety and suitability of their construction in particular rock conditions
- Investigation into typical deformation patterns of the structurally unstable soils with the follow-up forecast of any likely to occur deformations for the super- and substructures of various destinations
- Definition of the most effective protection features for construction site and adjacent development in course of the underground activities in progress
- Investigation of the dynamic and seismic impact onto the buildings and structures of different functional destinations
- Appraisal of the buildings bases and foundations remaining lifetime, and allowable deformations thereof in course of reconstruction or in case the buildings are located in the area affected by the newly built assets
- Assessment of the soil structural properties by application of the up-to-date express methods
- Recommendations draw-up on the methods of the rocks transformation to transfer considerable load
- Determination of the environmental barriers to protect underground and surface waters against harmful drains from industrial and agricultural enterprises.
Analysis of the impact imposed by mining and tunneling activities in view of the buildings and structures strain occurrences with the use of the soil ground models devised by the Institute experts
Residential Complex Green-House built under challenging soil conditions involving the Institute in-house elaborated method of computing the slab-pile foundations
Pile drilling-in machine (SVU-NIIOSP) suitable for operation in constraint soil and geotechnical conditions
A new-generation up-to-date electrodischarge technology is elaborated and patented in NIIOSP