Examining the risk of flotation in structures

Abstract

Lately, an increase in the number of floors in structures that have been built on valuable land can be noticed. While building these structures, a retaining wall is created, which is necessary for a safe foundation, yet this also causes the formation of a closed pool-like area. If the excavation site during construction is filled with water due to various reasons, basement floors, which form closed volume, may move upwards. The same problem may also be experienced in all elements that are underground in flood susceptible areas. Unfortunately, engineers often overlook this potential problem while focusing on the completed structure weight. This flotation damage should not be confused with liquefaction of ground that occurs as a result of unexpected movements in the structure due to the loss of the bearing capacity of the ground. The necessary calculations to avoid this risk are only conditioned for port and coastal structures in national standards and codes. Hence, this study aims to demonstrate the conditions leading to flotation in structures and necessary precautions to avoid them.