Grain Processing Plant

Retrofitting Micropiles

We recently performed our micropile retrofitting services at a grain processing plant in Iowa. Micropiles work well for facilities that need deep foundations, foundation repairs, or adjacent structure foundation stabilization. The client’s facility needed repairs, so our micropile retrofitting services fit their needs. Let’s look at this case study to see how these services improved their operations.

Leveraging Micropile as a Ground Improvement Solution

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Our client is a grain processing plant in eastern Iowa. Their facility is surrounded by clay soil that becomes rock 20 feet beneath the ground. The facility’s foundation needed new micropiles in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the pandemic’s restrictions and the area around the facility presented some challenges. First, we had limited access to the work area.

Second, only so many of our team members could be present in the area at the same time. Third, construction at this plant necessitated pipe rerouting, which led to processing waste being discharged through the work area where we performed the micropile retrofitting. When the waste discharge occurred, our team experienced work stoppages that interfered with our retrofitting processes. Despite all these limitations, we managed to retrofit their micropiles successfully.

OUR SOLUTIONS

Once we came up with staging solutions to deal with COVID-19 restrictions, we began the micropile retrofitting process. We put hollow bar micropiles through the foundation’s existing footings. We chose this retrofitting method because we had access to the existing pile cap, and this method helped stabilize the heavy loads around the foundation.

THE RESULTS

We completed this project on schedule and our performance met the client’s expectations. Once we completed the micropile retrofit, the client received positive feedback about their facility’s condition. The micropile retrofit repaired and stabilized their facility’s foundation. Now they can continue their grain processing operations without worrying about the foundation’s condition.