Structural Repair of a Two-Story Building Due to Flooding

Christina Tenaglia found herself in an unexpected situation when a pipe in the building next door burst. Major flooding affected her property, resulting in three feet of water in her crawlspace. Structural issues began when the existing 18”x18” masonry piers started sinking 1 to 1 ½ inches. They began to twist and lean, causing instability in the building. Additionally, commercial and residential tenants were living in the building while this repair had to be mitigated and fixed. Limited access to the basement and the confined space created even more challenges in this situation.

Year: January 2017

Dealer: Techno Metal Post Hudson Valley

Engineer in charge of the project: Geotechnical and Structural Engineers on site

Location: Beacon, New York, USA

Project objectives: Restore and install additional supports.

Specific challenges:

• There was only a 28” wide opening to access the crawlspace, so getting machinery into the building posed a huge challenge.
  Solution: Techno Metal Post’s proprietary R2D installation equipment was modified. The outside wheels were removed to reduce the size of the installation equipment, and a special ramp and landing were built to lower and raise the R2D in and out of the crawlspace.
• The confined space presented challenges for using equipment with fumes like welding, and gas or diesel engines.
  Solution: Use the electric hydraulic motor for the R2D to avoid engine emissions during equipment operation. Any welding fumes had to be properly exhausted out of the building.

One of the key advantages of using helical piers for this building's repair and restoration was their ability to reach the necessary depth, accessing the shale rock with limited disturbance of the surrounding ground. Excavating around the masonry piers may have caused them to sink further, resulting in more damages. Techno Metal Post's R2D installation equipment became the only solution that could be used to access the crawlspace, thanks to its small size.

Materials used:

• P3 helical piers
• Welded 5-foot extensions
• Adjustable brackets

Type of soil: Up to 7 feet was sandy clay, and at 7 feet, solid shale rock

Equipment used: R2D Electric Hydraulic Motor

Bearing Capacity: 20,000 lbs

Insertion depth: Approximately 9 feet

Structural details: A two-story residential/commercial building housing three residential tenants and one commercial renter. A 3-foot flood began sinking the building by 1 to 1 ½ inches, so underpinning brackets were used and helical piers were installed to lift and support the building. As a result, the foundation regained its original height and became structurally sound.