Soil compaction and foundation stabilization of the Riga Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

THE PROBLEM

Like other historic buildings in Riga, the Riga Cathedral rests on oak piles that were rammed into the banks of the River Daugava centuries ago. Unfortunately, in recent decades, the water table has begun to fall. This is partly due to the construction of the Riga hydroelectric power station on the Daugava River, which closes the sluices that regulate the river level seasonally and as needed. As a result, the water level in the river is uneven and the city’s surface water level is falling. Due to the severe drop in the water table, the air-locked embankments started to disintegrate, causing the building to subside. The subsidence of the large church was indicated by the large cracks in the walls, and it was only a matter of time before major renovation work was needed.

WORK PROCESS WITH URETEK TECHNOLOGY

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia turned to the URETEK Baltic team for consultation on alternative options. During the test works, URETEK technology was used to inject a geopolymer resin 4 metres below the building, which compacted the soil around the piles. This stopped the building from subsiding further and preserving the great church for future generations. In addition to further soil conservation, the geopolymer created a protective layer around the still undecomposed piles to preserve their original support structure.

As the church is built on the site of a former cemetery, there are many human remains under the building that need to be protected and preserved.

As URETEK technology is the most non-disruptive way of intervening in the environment surrounding the work area, it was decided to carry out this work using URETEK Baltic engineering team.

THE RESULT

The Riga Cathedral was a unique project for URETEK Baltic, as the cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and subsequent soil density tests proved that our test works were a success.

When it comes to the subsidence of historic buildings, URETEK solution is the best choice for soil and foundation stabilization. The reason is simple: it does not generate vibrations, it does not endanger the surrounding historic houses, it does not need any excavation works and do not interrupt other activities in the building.

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Dreiliņi, Latvia

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Liepāja, Latvia

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Tallinn, Estonia

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