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By Christophe H. Locussol

D.C. United, the professional soccer team located in Washington, D.C., completed a 20,000 seat capacity stadium in July 2018 named Audi Field. The project initially considered a foundation system consisting of roughly 800 prestressed concrete driven piles configured in groups with pile caps. A value engineering alternative proposed in a design-build manner ultimately resulted in the use of 300 single element Auger Cast Piles (ACPs) for the foundation system. The ACPs ranged between 1.5 ft and 4 ft in diameter, were up to 85 ft in length, and were connected through a system of grade beams to accommodate large lateral induced loads. Limitations in conventional analytical methods were encountered during the structural design of the piles due to the complexity of the lateral loading and pile fixity conditions. An innovative approach using advanced finite element modeling that incorporated the framing effects of the grade beams was required to meet the strict movement criteria despite large lateral loads.

By Joseph T. Coe, Alireza Kordjazi, Michael Afanasiev

Cross-hole sonic logging (CSL) is a common quality assurance measure for the evaluation of the structural integrity of drilled shafts. The results of CSL can be supplemented by a set of tomographic images generated by cross-hole tomography (CT). Although the same access tubes, sources and receivers are used in both methods, CT has the advantage of providing a higher quality image of the possible anomalies in drilled shafts. Nevertheless, it has been reported in literature that the CSL and CT miss anomalies with sizes of smaller than 10 percent of the cross sectional area of the drilled shaft. This implies poor resolution despite the high-frequency of the stress waves utilized in these methods. This issue with resolution can be at least partially attributable to the fact that CT relies entirely on the inversion of the first time of arrival and ignores the information embedded in the rest of the recorded traces. This study examines the application of full waveform inversion (FWI) to generate a higher resolution image of the possible defects in drilled shafts from the same data used for cross-hole tomography. FWI is a wave-field method that aims to directly match the recorded traces with traces obtained from a numerical model of the domain. This has the benefit of avoiding the selection of the first time of arrival, along with increasing the resolution of the final image due to extracting more information out of the traces. Through a series of numerical simulations, synthetic traces were generated from a drilled shaft with defects of known mechanical properties, dimensions, and location. These traces were then inverted to evaluate the performance of FWI for structural integrity testing of the drilled shafts. INTRODUCTION The presence of construction defects can compromise the structural integrity of drilled shafts and negatively affect their performance (O’Neil 1991; Sarhan et al. 2002; O’Neil et al. 2003; Poulos 2005). Several non- destructive testing (NDT) methods exist that are currently used for the evaluation of the structural integrity of drilled shafts. Cross-hole sonic logging (CSL), cross-hole sonic tomography (CT), and thermal integrity profiling (TIP) are well-established and documented in the industry and practical manuals (Brown et al. 2010). NDT methods prevent the need for coring and excavation and are relatively fast and cost effective. Successful implementation of these techniques has also been reported in the literature (Branagan et al. 2000; Iskander et al. 2001; Mullin 2010; Johnson 2016).

Jan 1, 2019

By Athena C. Denivo, Pablo V. Lopez, Sissy Nikolaou, Alfred H. Brand, Ahmad Rahimian, Rudivien G. Josef

"The United States Tennis Association (USTA) Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (BJKNTC) site is located in the northeastern portion of the Flushing Meadows Corona Park area of Queens, N.Y. The site occupies some of the most difficult subsurface conditions for construction in the New York City (NYC) metropolitan area, with unique challenges from geotechnical, seismic and foundation design perspectives.At the USTA site, Paleozoic crystalline bedrock is found at a depth of roughly 300 to 400 ft (90 to 120 m) below grade. The geologic history of the site is complicated, starting from the early Pleistocene, when the ancient Hudson River temporarily changed course, flowing across Queens enroute to the Atlantic. It eventually carved a deep valley through the Cretaceous soils, in some places all the way down to bedrock. A series of glaciers advanced and retreated across the region during the Pleistocene times, filling the deep valley with layers of assorted glacial soils. At its southern edge, the last major glacier to flow across the region built up a ridge at the southern tip of Flushing Meadows known as the Harbor Hill terminal moraine. This ridge blocked the valley forming a dam, so as ice started melting away the valley filled up with a lake fed by glacial meltwater. Layers of clean outwash sand and varved silt and clay filled the glacial lake. The ice did not retreat in a steady manner, instead periodically readvancing over the previously deposited soil in the lake, then retreating far enough to let the lake drain temporarily into Long Island Sound, before readvancing again.As a result of this repeated sequence of retreat, advance, retreat, etc., there are places where a “crust” of desiccated soil formed when the lake drained, and areas with interlayers of outwash sand where ice readvanced into the lake. When the ice melted north of Long Island Sound, the glacial lake filling Flushing Meadows drained forming Flushing Creek. During the Holocene (roughly the last 11,000 years), as ice melted further away and sea-level rose, low lying areas filled with river sands and marine clays, along with coastal marsh deposits. Table 1 lists the soil design properties on site and Figure 1 exhibits the geologic section across the site."

Jan 1, 2015

By Stephan A. Jefferis, Adrian H. Bath

"This paper draws together some themes on the durability of barrier systems, and particularly cementitious systems. For contaminated land and water retaining structures, durability can be poorly addressed at all stages of a project, from specification, to barrier material selection, barrier design including toe-in and through to performance assessment in operation. Permeability (hydraulic conductivity) is a dynamic property which will vary over time as reaction processes propagate through a barrier. However, laboratory testing, when undertaken, tends to be focused on short term tests with aggressive chemicals so that the effects of longer-term processes such as carbonation and leaching by permeating water are missed. For water retaining structures, carbonation and leaching actually may be the most significant processes affecting barrier performance as the groundwater adjacent to many water bodies can be otherwise rather benign (as regards bentonite and cementitious systems). These and other reaction processes have been modelled in the arena of nuclear waste repositories and procedures are well recognised. However, such procedures have yet to be widely adopted for the assessment of other barrier systems.INTRODUCTIONOver the last few decades there has been an enormous amount of laboratory research on the durability of barrier materials or more specifically papers reporting the results of permeability tests. Unfortunately there is a much smaller literature on scaling test results to barrier dimensions in the field or to required design lives. Although in the geotechnical industry durability research has been largely laboratory based, in the nuclear industry where relevant timescales are multi-millennia rather than decades, research has been heavily underpinned by geochemical modelling. A significant purpose of this paper is to examine the tools that may be used to analyse the results of tests on barrier materials used in geotechnical engineering, for example, for water retaining structures and contaminated land and draw the attention of the construction industry to the potential of the modelling procedures developed for nuclear repository assessments. Modelling can help to identify underlying processes and so augment information from laboratory testing focused on changes of physical properties such as permeability and strength."

Jan 1, 2016

By Darren S. Diehm

"Construction for the restoration and expansion of 102-year-old Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois began at the conclusion of the 2014 baseball season. This six year project involves structural upgrades to the Stadium, improvements to the facade, infrastructure, restrooms, concourses, suites, press box, and bullpens, as well as the addition of restaurants, patio areas, batting tunnels, video boards, an adjacent Office-retail Tower and a new Hotel. The Bleachers were demolished and replaced, and a new underground Clubhouse was constructed for the Chicago Cubs beneath a new open-air Plaza. The 1060 Project is privately funded, projected at $750 million (US). The work will be completed in phases during consecutive off-seasons, each with a maximum 23-week duration extending through the Chicago winter. Ownership mandated that on-going construction cause no disruption to the Major League Baseball season, have no impact on hosting concerts and other special events, and it should not adversely affect seating capacity, or diminish the fan experience.The 1060 ProjectAfter purchasing the Chicago Cubs baseball team in 2009 from the Tribune Company, the Ricketts family began planning the renovation and improvement of Wrigley Field and its near neighborhood surroundings in Chicago, Illinois. What came to be known as the 1060 Project was officially announced at the annual Cubs Convention in 2013. Construction began on the $750M privately funded project in October 2014 at the conclusion of the Major League Baseball season. In their vision, the Ricketts committed the 1060 Project to three primary goals. First and foremost as a MLB franchise, the work should provide a meaningful contribution toward winning the World Series and ending the championship drought which stretched to the last win in 1908. Second, the project should be focused on preserving and improving Wrigley Field. Finally, the project should be committed to outcomes that enable the team to be a good neighbor and provide economic and social benefit to the local community.Constructed as Weeghman Park in 1914 for an estimated total cost of $250,000, the stadium provided seating for 18,000 fans and a home for the Chi-Feds and Whales of the National Federal League. The Chicago Cubs were enticed to move from the West Side Grounds in 1915. In the next 100 years, the Wrigley Field would be sliced apart and expanded, double its seating capacity with the addition of double deck grandstands, be enclosed by bleachers (and an ivy covered wall), and, in 1988, experience its first nighttime baseball game with the addition of lighting.The 1060 Project has a total budget of $750M, with an expected construction value of $350M. It is projected to add over 2,100 jobs to the economy and be completed before the 2020 baseball season. The work will be completed in phases during consecutive off-seasons, each with a maximum 23-week duration extending through the Chicago winter. Ownership mandated that on-going construction cause no disruption to the Major League Baseball season, have no impact on hosting concerts and other special events, and it should not adversely affect seating capacity, or diminish the fan experience."

Jan 1, 1900

By Quanchen Sun, Mohammed Z. E. B. Elsahife, Anthony Fisher, Chris Barker, Jennifer Schooling

A review of the literature shows that pile integrity is a significant concern in pile construction. Recently, a new integrity test, thermal integrity profiling (TIP,) has been put into use in foundation construction. It measures temperature changes and thermal profiles of concrete during curing. Heat generation and dissipation of early-age concrete is determined by the concrete mix, the ground conditions and the shape of concrete structure. The current data interpretation practice is primary based on experience. Anomaly detection through direct analysis of temperature profiles is currently indicative or suggestive and temperature signatures are usually similar, and numerous causes are not easily isolated. The core of the TIP testing technique, i.e. collecting detailed temperature measurements along the pile during the hydration process, is promising but a new interpretation approach is required. In this paper, a new interpretation approach has been developed in which TIP constitutes the first step. An investigative staged process is then followed to establish and assess the anomalies in the problematic regions along the pile employing the combined use of detailed finite element (FE) simulations, the actual temperature data from TIP and genetic evolution algorithms. In each stage, more details could be revealed about the anomalies being investigated including, ultimately, location, size and shape; this staged process enables practitioners to follow a riskbased approach and decide whether or not to pursue subsequent stages depending on the results they get at the end of each stage. This new approach, depending on the stages required for the analysis, will potentially avail practicing engineers of crucial test results about the quality of the pile immediately following pile construction, hence enabling repair and remedial work straight away at a lower cost.

May 1, 2022

By Sara Anderson, Rachel Nicholls, Tim Chapman, Janice Windle

"In city center sites around the world, and in particular in London, foundation reuse is becoming increasingly widespread as the ground is filled with detritus from previous developments. This paper sets out a systematic framework to consider the need for and benefits of foundation reuse and key issues to be resolved for foundation reuse to be successfully adopted on redevelopment projects. Once foundation reuse has been identified as a potential foundation solution there are several key stages in the design and construction process where the decision to reuse foundations needs to be assessed. The paper concludes by emphasising the importance of ensuring that the foundations being installed now can more easily be reused in the future.INTRODUCTIONThe concept of re-using foundations is not new, and has been adopted on an isolated project-byproject basis for many years. However, over the past decade, interest in the potential of reusing existing piles and caissons within Europe has increased significantly, with a growing interest in the United States of America and Japan. The need has been driven by necessity: on many urban sites the space available for new foundations diminishes with each new set of piles, and these problems can only grow in the future.Initiatives such as the European Union's RuFUS (Re-use of Foundations for Urban Sites) research project have resulted in identification of the key issues for technical viability and risk that have previously hampered potential foundation reuse projects.There is a need to define a systematic approach to the reuse of foundations so that the risks associated with reuse can be identified, managed and mitigated. This requires improvements in knowledge to provide confidence in the long term behaviour of the foundation support and address the risks involved in reusing existing foundations to overcome perceived obstacles in making foundation reuse a realistic option for many sites."

Jan 1, 2005

By Stefan Swartling, Rudy Lyon, Donald A. Bruce

"Since their first production application in Sweden in 1995, water-powered, down-thehole hammers (WDTH) have been used throughout the world in many different drilling applications, total lines, over 25 million lineal meters of drill hole. This paper reviews the history and principles of down-the-hole drilling (DTH) in general with both air and water, before focusing on the details of WDTH hammers. A summary of the numerous and considerable advantages of WDTH drilling is provided, with particular emphasis on their superior productivity, smaller deviation, applicability in sensitive/urban conditions, environmental protection and much reduced energy requirements.HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON PRODUCTION DRILLING METHODSAir-flushed drilling with top hammers began in the mining industry in Sweden in 1873, while down-the-hole (DTH) drills, again with air flush (and activation) became operational in 1950. During that same time interval, Simon Ingersoll had patented the first steam-powered, top hammer rock drill to provide higher productivity in blast hole drilling. It is well known that water, as an activating, flushing and cooling medium, has many significant advantages over the use of air. However, it was not until 1973 that top hammer systems (either air or hydraulically activated) for larger rigs were adapted to the use of water flush, typically via “under the head” swivels.The concept of a water-powered, down-the-hammer (WDTH) had been explored prior to G. Drill acquiring the original patent from Atlas Copco in 1988. LKAB, a huge underground mining company owned by the Swedish Government and providing about 90% of the European Union’s iron ore, purchased G. Drill in 1991 and encouraged the commercial development of the WDTH. The first full-scale WDTH production works were carried out for LKAB in 1995, since when over 25 million lineal meters of drilling have been recorded in both underground and surface applications.In 2001, G-Drill was renamed Wassara, which today still holds the worldwide patents for WDTH technology. Regarding North American usage, the first significant application was by Advanced Construction Techniques (ACT) Ltd. during the test grouting program conducted for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at McCook Reservoir, Chicago, in 2002. Since then, WDTH has become the tool of choice for specialty drilling and grouting contractors on dams and other major structures throughout the U.S."

Jan 1, 2015

By Clifford Taylor, Alexander Zöhrer

"The execution of deep basement excavations under narrow conditions is one of the most challenging tasks in geotechnics. The vicinity of neighbouring buildings, roads, and underground structures such as sewers or power lines, quite often prohibits the application of standard solutions. In addition, legal considerations in the use of adjacent properties is becoming increasingly difficult. This paper will present some innovative approaches to overcome the above-mentioned challenges based on several case studies from central Europe. For every project the design approach as well as the techniques used for execution will be explained, detailing both the advantages and the limitations of the applications. One case study shows a deep basement excavation (approx. 17m) in the centre of Prague, Czech Republic. This project featured many challenging boundary conditions (narrow construction area, high ground water table, jet grouting column embedment into bedrock, constraints regarding use of ground anchors due to property rights, etc). The realisation of the complex design is described and illustrated in detail. Other case studies will show the combined application of bored piles with jet grouting and also explain the design of vertical prestressed anchors for retaining walls.INTRODUCTIONThe development of urban areas has always presented challenges, from access for equipment and materials to the rectification of existing foundations in unknown condition. Compounding these is the increasingly stringent requirements to retain, maintain and reduce impact on culturally and historically significant structures. As available space is becoming more limited, optimisation of real estate has resulted in buildings getting higher and their basements deeper below ground. Two or more basement levels are quite common, with typical excavation depths ranging from 5 to more than 10m. Additionally, we are faced with neighbouring buildings that are equally high, deep and massive. These buildings directly adjacent the retaining structure require underpinning to limit settlement, and in cases where they are within just a few meters, this building mass generates additional earth pressure for the retaining wall to support, resulting in complex loading cases.This paper highlights several common challenges and explores the measures implemented to overcome them. The challenges and examples of either design based solutions or practical applications will focus on the following topics – the limitations of conventional geotechnical construction methods, overcoming challenging geology and the requirement for watertight basement constructions."

Jan 1, 1900

By Peter Faust, Peter Hubbard, Kenichi Soga

The European Federation of Foundation Contractors (EFFC) and The Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) have set up a task group to compile a Guide for Working Platforms. The first edition of this Guide has been published in January 2020. The aim of the Guide is to provide reliable methods for design, testing and verification of working platforms for construction equipment, especially in the deep foundation industry where track loads can be excessive due to the nature of its operations. The Guide has identified areas where knowledge is limited. Actual track pressure and its distribution along the length of the tracks is still not well researched. Current recommendation provided in EN 16228-1 are believed to be overly simplified and may lead to conservative requirements for working platform thickness. This paper presents results of a series of field tests where the actual track pressure of a large drilling rig during operation was measured in real time together with the deformation of the working platform. Embedded, distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) at different depths throughout the platform allowed for a three-dimensional evaluation of the platform deformation throughout the entire operation. Results will help to develop more reliable recommendations for future safety requirements of working platforms for deep foundation equipment.

May 1, 2022

By Ryan P. Sullivan, G. Alan Klevens, Jian Huang

"BACKGROUNDLake Hamilton in Hot Springs, AR was created in 1932 when the Arkansas Power and Light Co. completed Carpenter Dam on the Ouachita River to generate electricity. Today, the 7,200-acre (2,914 hectares) impoundment is one of Arkansas’s most popular recreational and residential lakes.U.S. 70 crosses Lake Hamilton by means of a seven-span bridge featuring nine steel girders per span. Constructed between 1982 and 1984, the 1,410-foot long (430m) bridge carries four lanes of traffi c across the lake. The bridge is supported by six intermediate reinforced concrete piers composed of hammer heads, stems, footings and seals, which sit on the underlying rock. (See Figure 1). The bridge rises to a maximum of 33 feet (10m) above the surface of the lake and the footings and seals extend a maximum of 29.5 feet (9m) below the surface of the lake. The seals are situated on hard, fractured sandstone and shale.Routine underwater inspections in 1993 revealed large cracks in the lean seal concrete and refl ective cracks in the reinforced concrete footings. Infrastructure Engineers, Inc., The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department’s (AHTD) design consultant, then conducted an in-depth underwater inspection of the pier foundations. The investigation included cross-hole sonic logging, singlehole sonic logging, visual examination and strength testing of core samples, and petrographic analysis.The investigation revealed extensive cracking and low-strength concrete within the seals of all intermediate pier foundations. Many voids within the seal concrete had become fi lled with silt. There was evidence of continued seal deterioration between underwater inspections.AHTD and its engineers considered three rehabilitation solutions in the preliminary engineering stage: micropiles, a cofferdam supported concrete jacket, or a pile supported concrete jacket. The three alternatives were estimated to cost $1,250,000; $4,320,000; and $3,030,000 respectively. All three options would transfer the loads from the pier footing directly to the rock below, bypassing the seal concrete."

Jan 1, 2007

By Brian Wilson, John Scholte, Megan Atkinson

"In November 2004, the residents of the City of Nanaimo, B.C., Canada voted to approve a new conference centre as the centrepiece of a proposed revitalization project for the city’s historic downtown core. The proposal goal was to replace a cluster of derelict buildings with a dynamic and modern complex that would connect existing city facilities to a new conference facility, the Vancouver Island Conference Centre (VICC). The conference centre is expected to create 150 full-time jobs, attract visitors/ delegates from across North America and generate new economic opportunities for local businesses.However, the proposed site posed a number of geotechnical and geoenvironmental challenges. As is often the case with coastal cities, historic growth of the Nanaimo downtown and harbour area was achieved through reclamation of former waterfront areas and inlets. These areas were often infilled with random fills and even wastes, leaving a legacy of variable density heterogeneous fills contaminated with a variety of pollutants. Preliminary assessment of the site indicated a high likelihood of a requirement for deep foundations, a high risk of liquefaction in the event of an earthquake and the presence of both soil and groundwater contamination. Construction would be further complicated by the requirement for two levels of basement parking and the proximity of adjacent buildings and major roadways to the work area.With a limited budget (fixed by the referendum) and timeframe, the city needed a cost-effective solution to proceed with construction. A number of options were considered, but an innovative design using leading-edge Cutter Soil Mixer (CSM) technology best met the geotechnical and budgetary requirements of the site. The CSM approach also addressed the environmental concerns of contaminated soils and groundwater. Golder Associates Innovative Applications (GAIA) Inc., in association with the designers of their parent company Golder Associates Ltd. (Golder), proposed the CSM technology — at the time the first North American application."

Jan 1, 2008

By Ryan P. Sullivan, G. Alan Klevens, Jian Huang

"BACKGROUNDLake Hamilton in Hot Springs, AR was created in 1932 when the Arkansas Power and Light Co. completed Carpenter Dam on the Ouachita River to generate electricity. Today, the 7,200-acre (2,914 hectares) impoundment is one of Arkansas’s most popular recreational and residential lakes.U.S. 70 crosses Lake Hamilton by means of a seven-span bridge featuring nine steel girders per span. Constructed between 1982 and 1984, the 1,410-foot long (430m) bridge carries four lanes of traffi c across the lake. The bridge is supported by six intermediate reinforced concrete piers composed of hammer heads, stems, footings and seals, which sit on the underlying rock. (See Figure 1). The bridge rises to a maximum of 33 feet (10m) above the surface of the lake and the footings and seals extend a maximum of 29.5 feet (9m) below the surface of the lake. The seals are situated on hard, fractured sandstone and shale. Routine underwater inspections in 1993 revealed large cracks in the lean seal concrete and reflective cracks in the reinforced concrete footings. Infrastructure Engineers, Inc., The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department’s (AHTD) design consultant, then conducted an in-depth underwater inspection of the pier foundations. The investigation included cross-hole sonic logging, singlehole sonic logging, visual examination and strength testing of core samples, and petrographic analysis.The investigation revealed extensive cracking and low-strength concrete within the seals of all intermediate pier foundations. Many voids within the seal concrete had become filled with silt. There was evidence of continued seal deterioration between underwater inspections.AHTD and its engineers considered three rehabilitation solutions in the preliminary engineering stage: micropiles, a cofferdam supported concrete jacket, or a pile supported concrete jacket. The three alternatives were estimated to cost $1,250,000; $4,320,000; and $3,030,000 respectively. All three options would transfer the loads from the pier footing directly to the rock below, bypassing the seal concrete."

Jan 1, 2007

By Sandeep Pattnaik

Spring stiffness of soil and rock at different depth is often required for a pile structural model. If the pile is rested in multiple layers of soil, then it is rather more complex to simulate the soil in a structural model. The spring stiffness will vary based on density of soil strata over the depth. When a pile is socketed in weathered rock followed by a soil layer, a sudden change in subgrade modulus can influence the pile deflection drastically. Determination of soil spring and simulation of the pile in this condition required correct interpretation of subgrade modulus. The conventional approach of pile spring calculation underestimates the spring stiffness by ignoring underlaying stiffer layers. A finite difference method (FDM) of analysis can reasonably estimate the p-y of soil / rock based on subgrade modulus of each layer. However, the transition between the layers can be better simulated as per the deflection pattern of the pile. The lateral deflection of the pile is mainly dependent on the stiffness of soil layer surrounded by the pile. Generally, the lateral influence of a pile varies from 4D to 6D depending on the soil type. Therefore, soil spring stiffness around the pile would require special attention of a Geotechnical engineer to avoid uncertainty in the prediction of pile behaviour. In this paper, emphasis has been given to develop an approach for pile spring stiffness design. A standard software program LPile has been used to develop p-y curves of soil and rock layers at different depths and then converted to soil/ rock springs over the depth. Modulus of Subgrade Reaction as given in IS 2911 (Part2) was also used to correlate the spring value for different type of soil. Obtained analytical results were compared with full scale field trial for lateral deflection of pile. A good agreement between these two approaches has been established. The effect of soil structure interaction in the structural model shall be simulated by assigning an equivalent vertical and horizontal soil spring, which is developed by Winkler’s soil spring approach. A simplified design principle for calculating the pile spring is discussed in this paper. This approach has been extensively used in Mumbai metro elevated line pile design.

Nov 1, 2022

By Stuart Hardy, Xiangbo Qiu

The South Bank Place project comprised the redevelopment of the iconic Shell Corporation headquarters in Waterloo, located on the Southbank of the River Thames in central London. The site was originally developed in the 1950’s and due to the monitoring of the underlying Bakerloo Line tunnels by the Building Research Station it has become a seminal case history for the long term swelling behaviour of London Clay. The redevelopment, undertaken by a joint venture of Canary Wharf Group and Qatari Diar, included demolition of the existing building (with the exception of the main towers) retention of the existing basement structure and the construction of eight new mixed use buildings, up to 31 storeys in height. The foundations for the new buildings varied according to the building height and the below ground constraints. Two of the buildings are partially founded in reused under reamed piles that were installed as part of the original 1950’s development. The paper describes the novel methodology developed to assess the re-use of the under reamed piles which builds on the guidance published by CIRIA and the BRE for straight shafted piles. The paper also describes the physical investigations and numerical analyses undertaken as part of the assurance process and the procurement of latent defect insurance by the client.

May 1, 2022

By R. Gerritsen, Erwin de Jong, E. van der Velde, C. te Boekhorst

"In recent years the market for Mixed-In-Place soil mix techniques in the Netherlands has been growing rapidly. Initially the technique was used to create cut-off walls near river dikes and as a vibration free method to create retaining walls for building pits. Studies have been undertaken and projects are executed in order to strengthen the dike itself by the use of Mixed-In-Place techniques. In February 2012 Bauer Funderingstechniek started the construction of the first polder in the Netherlands with their approved Mixed-In-Place cut-off walls. This article explains the background of the use of this cost-effective and durable construction method and discusses how the challenging requirements from the client were fulfilled, both in design and execution. The quality assurance and quality control consisted of preliminary soil and mixture investigations, extensive measurements during construction and leakage detection through geophysical methods. The information is presented in 3 case histories, all subprojects of a large infrastructural project ‘Leeuwarden Vrij-Baan’ in the Netherlands.INTRODUCTIONThe Netherlands have a worldwide reputation in creating their own country by reclaiming land from the sea. Since the 15th century the Dutch have been creating “polders”, areas of reclaimed land below sea level, surrounded by dykes and with a mechanically maintained water level. In the 20th century the use of artificial polders became an interesting construction method for creating underpasses below motorways and canals using watertight geomembranes to create an impermeable layer that separated the polder from its surroundings. These kinds of structures have one big disadvantage, they need a lot of space. The main idea of such a structure is that the upward water pressure under the geomembrane has to be in balance with the remaining soil on top of it. For this reason, the geomembrane has to be placed at a depth significantly deeper than the polder surface, depending on the hydraulic head in the aquifer. Slopes of 1:3 (1 vertical : 3 horizontal) are most commonly used, resulting in very large open excavations and massive earthworks, even for relatively small underpasses. Special measures can be taken to reduce the spatial use with vertical limits, but these measures will increase the building costs (Gerritsen et al. 2014)."

Jan 1, 2015

By Fabio Santillan, Lyndon Bedford

"This paper presents the main features of the Wolf Creek Dam Foundation Remediation Project, highlighting the innovative construction approach and stressing on how the collaboration between the contractor and the owner became a key element for the success of this project.The main rehabilitation contract, $341 M, was awarded in 2008 for the construction of a 980,000 sqft concrete barrier. Most of this 2ft-wide concrete barrier wall is being built to depths reaching 277 ft using innovative construction techniques proposed by the contractor and under quality control measures that exceed by far the industry standards.The construction of the barrier wall entails the use of nine different foundation techniques which run concurrently following very stringent requirements in terms of verticality, distance between open elements, strength, permeability and dimensions that control the installation sequence of each barrier wall element.The innovative construction approach by the contractor and the collaborative efforts by the contractor and the USACE (“US Army Corps of Engineers”) have brought this unique and very difficult project to a successful completion, setting new standards in the dam foundation industry and nine months ahead of scheduleINTRODUCTIONWolf Creek Dam is on the Cumberland River in south central Kentucky. It provides hydropower, flood control, water supply, and water quality benefits for the Cumberland River system and surrounding region. The lake is a source of recreation that has attracted more visitors (4.89 million) than Yellowstone National Park (2.87 million).The dam and its adjacent reservoir reside upon a heavily Karst bedrock foundation. In late January 2007, the USACE placed the dam under a 'high risk' for failure designation. As a temporary measure, the pool elevation was lowered to 680 ft Above Main Sea Level (“AMSL”), 80 ft below its maximum capacity, with huge impacts to the local economy while the major, and ambitious, $ 594 million remediation program to bring the dam back to its full operating condition was carried out.The main rehabilitation contract of $341 million was awarded in 2008 for the construction of a 980,000 sqft concrete cut-off barrier. Most of this 2ft-wide concrete barrier wall has been built to depths reaching 277 ft using innovative construction techniques under quality control measures that far exceed the industry standards."

Jan 1, 2015

By Paolo Cavalcoli, Federico Pagliacci, Marco Chiarabelli

"The Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Causeway Project in Kuwait is estimated at approximately $US3.7 billion and consists of constructing a causeway across the Kuwait Bay, connecting the Shuwaikh Port with the northern Subiyah area, where the new “Silk City” will be established. The $US77 billion Silk City will revive the ancient “Silk Road” trade route and will become a major free trade zone linking central Asia with Europe. The new city will be completed in 2030, it will house about 700,000 people and, furthermore, it will include the tallest tower in the world. The Causeway will stretch approximately 23.3 miles and will be composed of a combination of low-level bridges, embankments and transition islands. A bridge of about 16.8 miles in length will span the navigation channel and a free flow interchange at the Shuwaikh Port will connect the causeway to the main road network in Kuwait City. The geo-construction portion of the project involves the execution of 1,200 drilled shafts with diameters of 98 inches and 118 inches embedded to a maximum depth of about 276 feet. Details are provided concerning the subsurface conditions, the geotechnical characteristics and the strength parameters, illustrating, as well, the installation technique implemented for the construction of the drilled shafts. In addition, particular attention is paid to the description of the challenges faced while constructing the drilled shafts at a distance of about 10 miles from the shore, such as the depth of the water above the midline (more than 160 feet), an underwater current and the tidal variation.INTRODUCTIONThis paper presents an overview of the foundation works executed for a 37km causeway across the Bay of Kuwait, connecting Shuwaikh Port with Subiyah New Town Development. The project, in which Trevi is actively engaged, includes a 27 km low-level bridge across the bay, a main bridge with a span of 200 m, an overpass and a 5 km approach road onshore in Subiyah.The main purpose of this report is to provide information about the nature and features of the applied technique of bored piles, including a description of each work phase and other related details, in order to aid in the design of the foundations for the proposed construction.Works for the soil investigation were carried out in accordance with accepted geotechnical standards/guidelines. Brief descriptions of the methodology of the field are also provided in this report."

Jan 1, 2016

By Ali S. Fayad

"In June 2014, Orange County Flood Control District (OCFCD) completed construction improvements of the East Garden Grove-Wintersburg Channel for a price of $42 million. Instead of the pre-existing traditional trapezoidal levee, the channel was improved with a vertical compact levee. Dubbed Soil-Mix-Sandwich (SMS), this geo-structural and environmental solution for coastal channel improvements, underlain by liquefiable soil strata, was both a design and construction innovation. It employed Deep Soil Cement Mixing (DSCM) within the confines of a hydraulically-pressed (Giken Method) sheet pile duo. SMS was unique because it incorporated both subterranean and supra-dredge-line soil mixing within a very narrow workspace. Its DSCM pattern aimed at optimum densification of the workspace and was confirmed during the construction process. It availed the DSCM sub-contractor (Hayward Baker Inc.) the opportunity to demonstrate the fitness of their huge wet-mixing machinery within a very confined access-area and introduced approximately 70,000 cubic yards of DSCM within a limited 15 foot workspace width that stretched for a mile. The sheet pile duo created a construction-enclosure that became a stay-in-place load resisting system. PROJECT CHRONOLOGY AND LOCATIONAn Orange County Flood Control District (OCFCD) project-report was commissioned to study the East Garden Grove Wintersburg channel (OCFCD facility # C05). The report examined the hydraulic conveyance of the C05 channel and was concluded in 1994 by Williamson & Schmidt. The project-report did not encompass extensive geologic studies; but it provided several alternatives for channel improvement. It recommended a single row of sheet piles as the preferred alternative for the downstream reach.The most downstream reach of the C05 channel is located in an environmentally sensitive area, in City of Huntington Beach, California, USA. Its site includes seismic chasms that surface within the C05-footprint (the Newport- Inglewood tectonic fault). Extensive deposits of liquefiable soil exist beneath the channel. Furthermore, tidal-influence prevails against the channel levee. Implementation of a successful design for channel improvement emerged after several traditional concepts were deemed unacceptable by geotechnical consultants. OC Public Works (on behalf of OCFCD) was in need of a design and construction technique that mitigated many associated risks. From these circumstances, Soil-Mix-Sandwich was born and was referred to in the rest of this discussion as SMS. OC Public Works required the SMS design concept to undergo verification by independent geotechnical consultants. SMS chronology from conception to construction can be summarized as follows:"

Jan 1, 2015

By Mohamed A. Sakr

An experimental study on the behavior of pile group's arrangement under lateral load was carried out in the level ground and at crest of sand slope 3H: 2V. Tests were conducted on single pile and pile groups with center-to-center pile spacing of 3D. The model piles were founded in sand with relative density 25%. Several configurations of pile groups were used to study the effect of piles arrangement in the group (series or parallel) with respect to slope crest. The behavior of the pile groups in the level ground was compared with the behavior of pile groups at different configurations at the slope crest. Based on the test results, the behavior of laterally loaded pile groups adjacent to a slope crest depends largely on piles arrangement in the group with respect to direction of the lateral load. Pile groups in the level ground have more resistance to lateral loads when they are arranged in a parallel configuration than in a series, whereas the reverse is true in cases of pile groups constructed near to the edge of a slope. It is advisable to use the pile group in series arrangement for groups constructed at slope crest to minimize the effect of the ground slope on lateral capacity of piles and the occurred deflection and maximum bending moment of the lead row in the group.

Jan 1, 2010