Rappahannock Community College – Glenns Campus Building

WDP was consulted to provide additional geotechnical field investigations, which consisted of SPT test borings to identify soil conditions, evaluate existing site conditions due to observed building corner settlement, provide recommendations to stop/mitigate future settlements consisting of underpinning, assemble drawings and specifications for recommended repairs, provide bid assistance, and provide construction administration services consisting of approving submittals as well as providing special inspections and observations of the helical pile underpinning installation.

The investigation determined that settlement had occurred at the corner of the building and led to the cracking and rotation at the one location. Unrelated to the settlement, missing veneer expansion joints contributed to other masonry cracking around the building. At door overhangs, the stucco cladding was sounded and found to be delaminated at some locations.

WDP provided design analysis and parameters and specifications for a specialty underpinning contractor to design and install the helical pile underpinning system. WDP reviewed the specialty contractor’s submittals, documented/observed the helical pier installation process, including pier lengths/depths, attachment brackets, and installation torque readings to confirm that the allowable pile capacity under the service loads had been achieved. WDP also detailed masonry repairs including the addition of expansion joints, replacement of cracked brick, and addition of new masonry anchorage. The stucco overhangs were removed and replaced with a new system.

• Field investigation consisting of SPT test borings
• Laboratory testing
• Geotechnical report of findings and underpinning recommendations
• Underpinning/helical pile analysis, design, and specification development, to include helical piers and brackets for underpinning of foundation at NE corner
• Bid meetings and bid assistance
• Submittal reviews and RFI responses
• Geotechnical underpinning special inspections