At Isla Grande Airport in San Juan, ground improvement for the new Pompina Hangar was carried out using vibratory stone columns installed by MRD for Geopier, with equipment supplied by IDE.

The columns reached 8.4 m depth with a diameter of roughly 540 mm to improve bearing capacity and limit settlement in an area affected by variable soil layers and a high-water table.

The Casagrande B240 XP-2, configured for vibro stone column work, allowed accurate control of penetration rate, aggregate feeding and vertical alignment. Soil conditions varied significantly in the first few meters of excavation, requiring continuous monitoring to maintain a consistent column profile. During extraction, controlled withdrawal was essential to avoid the “syringe effect,” a known risk when working in saturated ground.

Despite the challenging stratigraphy, MRD maintained stable production and uniform column geometry. Automated control features supported consistent compaction, contributing to predictable performance across the entire project area.