An Extensive Cost Risk Indexing for the Coastal Karnataka Region Based on Soil SBC

In India, laterite soil is one of the soil types that is most frequently used for foundation work. Construction of structures uses laterite soil not only for the foundations but also for structures constructed beneath the soil and by incorporating soil as a material for blockwork during the execution phase. It is hence important to carry out the extensive cost risk index of this construction-rich region to estimate the least risky areas and extremely dangerous regions that would yield a beneficial analysis. Firstly 30 study regions have been identified on the coastal Karnataka belt that has lateritic soils. For the soil from different study regions, extensive geotechnical unconfined compressive test procedures were done, followed by implementing risk analysis to get the risk zones. In addition, a structural analysis using the ETABS software is also undertaken to get isolated footing dimensions for these study regions. Earthquake loads, punching, and one-way shear have been considered while designing the footings. Finally, a cost-based risk index is produced considering the present industry labour rates and concreting rates of the region. This risk analysis based on cost and soil-bearing capacity gives a bird-eye view of the risk levels throughout the coastal belt of the Karnataka area. Risk mitigation measures such as ground improvement techniques, consolidation, etc. can now be effectively taken based on the results of the analysis. The results indicated that around 17% of the regions come under extremely risky zones and all regions with respective risk levels were identified. Hence, it can be concluded that for the extremely risk zones, it is better to ignore those land portions or go for ground improvement before construction.