KlimaGrunn | Innovation in the connection of disciplines

Through the innovation partnership KlimaGrunn, a new method will be developed to predict and document strength, stiffness and homogeneity in binder-stabilized piles. In this way, the Innovation Norway-supported project will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by optimizing the amount of binder in ground stabilization when developing infrastructure and buildings.

– The solution is interdisciplinary and will be based on known technology within seismicity, sensor technology, materials technology and geotechnics. KlimaGrunn is precisely about connecting already known technology together in new ways to achieve innovative solutions, says project manager Eivind Juvik at the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, which together with Statsbygg and BaneNOR forms the KlimaGrunn partnership. On the supplier side, Multiconsult is together with Norcem, Cautus Geo and Argeo.

So far, KlimaGrunn has developed new laboratory procedures where the results provide a basis for developing correlation models for strength and stiffness based on the curing process and shear wave velocity. Furthermore, field trials have been conducted where an important part of the solution, namely sensor technology, cross-hole tomography and surface seismic, has been tested. In addition, solutions have been developed for importing data from field measurements and presenting correlation models in Cautus Web.

Innovative coupling

On November 12, all parties on the client and supplier side gathered for a workshop at Multiconsult in Oslo. The purpose of the workshop was to compile results from the sub-projects that the various disciplines have carried out separately so far, and to identify and solve interdisciplinary challenges.

– Until now, we have primarily worked with our separate results from the laboratory and field trials. Therefore, it was very important for the project to meet to share results and start the work of connecting them, says Tonje Eide Helle, project manager at Multiconsult and head of the supplier side of the project.

The solution will now be further developed based on the experiences from the completed field trial. The plan is then to test the solution in a new field trial in the first half of 2022.