DFI Journal - The Journal of the Deep Foundations Institute

Volume 5, Issue 1, April 2011
DOI: 10.1179/dfi.2011.001

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Non-Destructive Testing, Evaluation and Optimization of Existing Deep Foundations for Re-Use Along the East Coast
Article Type: Case Study

Meyer, M. E. & Frizzi, R.

Abstract

Renovation, rehabilitation, restoration and expansion of existing residential, retail, commercial, hospital facilities and historic structures requires assessment and evaluation of foundation systems of various ages. The concept of demolition and reconstruction in urban areas is often more challenging, costly, and even prohibitive in some cases due to historic regulations. The authors have been involved with numerous projects related to existing foundation assessment and retrofit, including: hotel and hospital expansions, historic Art-Deco hotel renovations and expansions, garage structure expansions, additions to prominent auction houses, casinos, printing facilities; high-rise structure foundation retrofitting; forensic evaluations of existing building and highway structure foundation systems, and marine bulkhead sheeting systems. The use of non-destructive testing techniques, high-strain dynamic load testing, full scale pile cap load testing and 3-D laser scanning technology has proved to be vital in the assessment and evaluation process, as well as design of foundation retrofit alternatives. This paper presents various methods and techniques to facilitate a phased approach for optimization of existing foundations and subsequent re-use of foundation systems. These methods and techniques are illustrated through the author’s experience and selected case histories from projects with varied foundation and geologic conditions.

Keywords:
NDT, HSDPT, load testing, pile cap load testing, foundation re-use