Norfolk, VA

Developer - Goodman, Segar, Hogan
Geotechnical Engineer - McCallum Testing

A proposed 19 story office building was underlain by loose silty and clayey sands. The groundwater table was about 6 feet below the ground surface.

Due to the high cost of a pile foundation system, the geotechnical engineer recommended improving the ground with dynamic compaction and then using spread footings designed for a bearing pressure of 3 ksf.

Dynamic compaction was performed using an 8 ton weight dropped from a height of 50 feet. Crater depths of up to six feet were created. Clean sand was used as the crater backfill.