Renovation of the Hotel Tivoli – »Švicarija« building, Ljubljana

The project includes renovation of the Hotel Tivoli – “Švicarija” building located in the Tivoli park. It was erected in 1910 and is part of the cultural heritage. The renovation project anticipated refurbishment of the restaurant part, the hall and the artistic studios, with which “Švicarija” would get back its social and cultural importance. Preparation of a geological/geomechanical study was foreseen as part of project documentation in the framework of the building permit design.

The geological base consists of Permo-Carboniferous (Pc) slate claystones, sandstones and conglomerates. The overlaying rock consists of diluvial materials in the form of sandy-silty debris. The thickness of the diluvial cap rock varies and is in reverse proportion to the slope of the hill. In geomorphologically more favourable forms (peneplains and rifts ), accumulations of torrent sediments in the form of poorly rounded gravels, sands and slate claystones appear apart from the sandy-silty debris on the slopes. The cap rock can have a thickness of several metres in these areas. A relatively poor permeability can cause retention of superficial water, which confers a slightly marshy character to these areas.

On the basis of the field examinations, we determined the geological/geomechanical properties of the soil and of the soil conditions in the area of the foundations of the building, calculated the carrying capacity of the foundation ground and its settlements, and checked the general stability of the ground.

Project typeCulture and entertainmentLocationLjubljana, SloveniaInv. value€3,530,000Year(s)2013 ServicesPreparation of a programme for field examinations, monitoring of field examinations, geological logging of trial pits, preparation of engineering geological maps with belonging geological profiles, geomechanical calculations of foundation ground, determination of geomechanical properties of soil and rockmass, preparation of a geological / geomechanical study. Building permit designInvestorThe Municipality of Ljubljana