What types of soils are most suitable for the use of closed shields?

Q: What types of soils are most suitable for the use of closed shields?

Closed shields are particularly suitable for soft soils such as clays, silts, fine sands or urban fills, especially where there is a high water table or variable geological conditions. These systems allow to control ground pressure and minimize risks, being ideal in urban environments. At Eurohinca we apply this technique in microtunneling projects with complex soils to guarantee the safety and efficiency of the drilling.

The closed shields o balanced pressure shields (EPB) are mainly used in soft and not very cohesive soilswhere it is essential to control ground pressure to avoid settlement or collapse during drilling. Its use is especially indicated in urban environments, water saturated areas and soils with geotechnical heterogeneities.

✅ Floors most suitable for closed shields.

The most suitable soil types for this technology are:

Soft clays and siltseven saturated
Fine to medium sandsespecially in areas with a high water table
Soils with low percentage of gravelwithout large elements
Urban land with heterogeneous backfills

In these contexts, closed shields allow the excavation face pressure to be maintained in a controlled and safe manner, minimizing the risk of subsidence or surface deformation.

In Eurohinca we have extensive experience in microtunneling projects where closed shields have been used in complex geological situations, guaranteeing optimal results in adverse conditions.