Glebe Farm, Main Street, Hoby. Underpinning.
All Foundations were asked to advise and design a suitable stabilization scheme to allow a derelict barn building to be converted into a habitable building.| Client: | Consulting Engineer: |
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Upon commencement of the project we found the bearing strata consisted of soft sands to 3m deep, which would not support the traditional underpinning bays.
During the course of the 1st day on site, we mobilized a grundomatt 95 steel cased piling hammer and set about installing a series of trial piles to get a feel of the likely bearing depth for the good ground. The piles achieved a consistent bearing set at was set at 4m. Whilst the scheme was quickly re-designed to allow for a piled raft underpinning scheme, the project was in theory able to re-commence, without delay on day 2.
Due to the instability of the existing building, the retained structural engineer was concerned that the piling works could induce further stressing of the structure and he instructed a scaffold shoring / support system to be installed and thus cradle the fragile walls.
Once complete the piled raft underpinning was then installed, but in piece meal. This method allowed for sufficient support to be given to the structure, but at the same time allow the shoring to be dismantled / moved, thus giving further access to the property and in turn allowing the systematic underpinning procedure to be advanced.