Projects involving additions to an existing building can be a challenge because contractors don’t always know what’s happening under the ground. And they won’t find out until they start digging.
What usually happens is that the construction has to be halted when a crew discovers that a foundation needs to be repaired or additional support needs to be installed. That’s where USS comes in.
The following case study will discuss how we installed resistance piers to secure the foundation of an addition to the Wyndemere Senior Living Community. Keep reading below to learn more.
Background on Wyndemere Senior Living
Wyndemere is a senior living community located in Wheaton, Illinois. The 22-acre facility offers a range of services including assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation.
The community decided to build a new addition that would house an indoor and outdoor pool, outside patio and deck, indoor deck area, and additional recreational facilities.
Construction crews began pouring new footings and a floor slab for the new foundation wall but discovered it would be 3 feet below the existing slab. This situation had a very good chance of undermining the existing wall and causing the soil to collapse.
Additional support would need to be installed before the project could go any further.
How USS Installed Resistance Piers
Underpinning piers were not in the original plans for the building, but they were needed to solve the problem of the old slab’s elevation.
Resistance piers or piles are large steel supports hydraulically driven into the ground. They are one repair method to fixing sinking or settling foundations.
To prevent Wyndemere’s new wall from collapsing, the USS installation team installed Titan SP-90 galvanized underpinning piers on both sides of the newly poured foundation wall. We also cut away the footings at each pier location so the underpin bracket could support the weight of the wall.
Each pier was advanced into the ground until it reached the proper load-bearing stratum.
Project Results
It was imperative that each resistance pier was deep enough to build the correct pressure and support the weight of the columns. We drove them between 42 and 52 feet into the ground.
By the time we finished the project, the new foundation was supported with a safety factor of 2X. This means the piers were driven to twice the load requirements. We wanted to ensure that the issue was permanently fixed and posed no safety issues in the future.
Finally, the construction crew was able to proceed with building the Wyndemere addition. They would be able to excavate the wall and pour a new floor slab without worrying about the soil or wall collapsing.
Commercial Resistance Pile Installation
United Structural Systems of Illinois, Inc. specializes in foundation repair and resistance pile installation.
While this case study was about a commercial building, we also use underpinning piers on homes. Our team will ensure they’re installed correctly and safely for a permanent solution to your foundation problems.
Call us today at 847-382-2882 if you have any questions about fixing damaged foundations, or if you’d like to schedule a free consultation.
