Category: Foundation Repair

23Nov 2016

Dealing with Soil Subsidence can be Quick and Non Disruptive

By Robert Armstead

Dealing with Soil Subsidence can be Quick and Non Disruptive

On November 18th, the Tampa Bay Times published a story entitled Is one of Tampa Bay’s premier condo towers sinking?.  The article discusses how “very loose and very soft bay bottom soils” have caused movement of the foundation that has resulted in “significant subsidence concerns and structural design deficiencies.”

Soil Subsidence is a common problem in Florida.  Florida’s sandy soils and geological conditions can cause the soils to collapse away from the surface often times leaving voids underneath foundations and surface structures.  Under instances where there is overbearing weight, the support soils will become inadequate to support the structure. 

First of all, it is always best to ensure that the soil compaction density is sufficient before building the…

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27Jul 2015

Rehabilitating Soils to Increase the Bearing Capacity Under Milk Storage and Grain Handling Facilities

By Robert Armstead

Silos are storage systems designed to contain massive amounts of weight within a concentrated area and vary in size, ranging from 20-80 feet tall with diameters of 12-30 feet. Some storage facilities have more than one or two silos sitting in a small area.  When the silos are full, the significant weight can impact settlement of the foundation and/or the foundations of nearby structures.

In addition to the consolidated weight of tanks that hold liquid and grain storage bins, the surrounding processing facilities get a lot of traffic as well. There is a constant stream of trucks, mostly loaded with heavy cargo, coming and going from the facility. When there is a rail spur next to the facility, the soils underneath and around the grain bins, silos, and mission critical buildings are taxed with even more weight.  Consequently, there is a lot of weight consolidated into a relatively small area around these crucial, very busy facilities.

After heavy rainfall like…

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15Jun 2015

Soil Stabilization under 100-Year-Old FDNY Firehouse

By Robert Armstead

Fire stations are critical in serving the diverse needs of the community where they are located, as well as the fire department they report to.  The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) protects more than 8,000,000 New York City residents living and working in a 320 square mile radius.  The FDNY is the largest fire department in the United States.

The FDNY serves the five boroughs of New York City and includes 255 fire stations.  Each fire station’s differences relate to the size of the firefighting apparatus housed within it and the facility’s location, which is largely driven by the need to minimize response time.  The FDNY Engine Companies are tasked with securing a water supply and extinguishing the fire while the FDNY Ladder Companies conduct search and rescue, forcible entry, and ventilation at the scene of a fire.

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