OWNER:
Kidderminster College
ENGINEER:
Central Design Consultants Ltd
GENERAL CONTRACTOR:
Interclass PLC
MAIN FIGURES:
482 Vibro Stone Columns
Project Details
Interclass Plc approached Menard for a Vibro Stone Column (VSC) quotation, and the works were subsequently awarded as a result of competitive tendering. The scheme is for a 2,400m2 industrial unit located on the edge of Gemini Business Park. VSCs were installed beneath the pad foundations (SLS bearing pressure of 150kPa) and the floor slab (UDL of 50kPa).
Ground Conditions
The site investigation indicated made ground up to 2.4m in depth, containing frequent concrete obstructions, these were removed before our arrival on site. Beneath this were loose becoming dense sands; solid geology was not encountered during the site investigation.
Solution
The VSCs were installed to depths of 1.9-3.0m below platform levels, into the medium dense sands, and a pre-augering rig was used across a third of the building footprint where it was proving difficult to penetrate with our standard rig. The VSC installation, including a series of quality control plate load tests, took 5 days to complete.
