Settling Foundation Repair
Engineered Foundation Technologies (“EFT”) provides many solutions to repair a settling foundation.
Our approach starts with the following analogy: Consider going to the doctor with a medical problem. The 1st step any good doctor will take involves diagnostics..…not going straight to surgery. In a similar manner, many homeowners are encountered with “foundation specialists” that not only recommend one surgery to repair a settling foundation, but they also apply high pressure sales on the spot.
This is where Geotechnical Engineering comes into play. EFT was founded by a Geotechnical Engineer and we highly value the discipline.
According to Wikipedia: “Geotechnical engineering, also known as geotechnics, is the branch of civil engineering concerned with the engineering behavior of earth materials. It uses the principles of soil mechanics and rock mechanics for the solution of its respective engineering problems. It also relies on knowledge of geology, hydrology, geophysics, and other related sciences.”
With that said, we always feel that foundation “surgeries” go better when you have diagnostics in hand. We cannot stress enough for clients to select the technology based on your site-specific conditions.
Here are some of the technologies we work with:
- Helical Piers consist of steel pipes with circular “helices” that spin into the ground. In essence, the pile needs to screw through the “bad” soil and into the load bearing soils below. Helical piers typically do not work well with bedrock as they need to advance into a soil to attain load capacity.
- Push Piers consist of a steel pipe that is pushed down into the ground, using the building as a counterweight. This “end bearing” system works best when load bearing soils consist either of Glacial Till (hardpan) or Bedrock.
- Drilled Micropiles are typically used when a lot of rocks/rubble are buried in the ground, as helical and push piers cannot advance through subsurface obstructions. This system is generally the most expensive underpinning system and is used when no other underpinning options are viable.
- Ground Improvement, also referred to as Compaction Grouting, involves the injection of a structural grout into the ground to eliminate subsurface voids and densify soils with minimal excavations. In the right conditions, this system is an economical alternative to using deep foundations.
- Pit Underpinning involves constructing a new foundation underneath an existing one. This solution is best for foundations that bear on good soils but do not extend below the frost line.
In our opinion, geotechnical repair projects always so better knowing as much about your site as possible. We can select repair technologies based on your site-specific conditions. Please know, we can also provide more accurate cost estimates with Geotechnical Information in hand.
Contact us to see how we can help with your project.
Serving New England: Massachusetts – New Hampshire – Maine – Rhode Island – Vermont – Connecticut