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Concrete Piles in lieu of imported fill
- Approximately 230 geopiers have been installed in this first phase of the building foundation.
- Geopiers stabilize and reinforce the soil below the groundwater table.
- Prior to installation, a two foot depth of topsoil* was cut and stockpiled, down to a stiff clay layer and replaced with a minimum one foot of structural fill (gravel borrow) over geotextile fabric for support of heavy equipment.
- Geopiers for this building are 12 foot deep to a bed of sand providing good load bearing.
- The holes are driven with a mandrel (a tapered, cylindrical axle) forced into the ground by the weight of the machine and vibration to the point of “refusal.” Soil is not removed nor “spoils” created for disposal.
- The earth below and around the hole is compacted during this process. As the mandrel is pulled up, crushed rock is dropped into the hole in lifts and compacted, further compacting the soil laterally.
- The ramming action of the the mandrel (pictured at right) delivered hundreds of blows per minute, pushing and embedding the aggregate laterally into the sidewalls of the driven shaft.
- Geopiers intensify and densify the soil for stabilization, support and control of settlement sensitive structures. They will reinforce the slopes, berm,embankments and floor slabs of the building.
- The rapid installation process, less than a week at 21 Acres, means a shorter construction schedule.
- This cost-effective system will result in up to 50% savings compared to traditional deep foundation alternatives along with reducing the amount of truckloads to the site and resulting emissions.
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