Repair Piles for Sinkhole Damage

Location:Tallahassee, FL

Scope of Work:Residential Repair Piles for Sinkhole

Foundation Contractor:Alpha Foundation Specialists, Inc.

Foundation Products Used:Drive Rite™ 27000 Series Push Piles and Drive Rite™ 98030 Foundation Brackets

This Section of the Residential Home Collapsed into a Sinkhole

Building Wall - After Repairs

Challenge:

Alpha Foundation Specialists, Inc. was contacted by a home owner requesting immediate repairs due to the presence of a sinkhole under the structure. AFS worked with SSI who specialized in analyzing sinkholes for Insurance companies.

SSI determined that it would be necessary to underpin the home in 62 locations and to pressure grout the building in 31 locations. AFS first pumped 132 cubic yards of concrete around the perimeter of the building through the injection locations. The Injections started at 35’ below the surface just above the layer of limestone which was encountered in the preliminary soil borings. After the grouting was performed AFS installed hydraulically driven micro piles in sections of the home that were deemed stable enough to carry the resistance of the pier.

The push piers were each driven to the layer of limestone. In sections of the home were no load could be applied (see above picture) to the building for installation of the piers, helical piles were installed. All piles were attached to the building footing with a foundation lifting bracket capable of lifting up to 2’.

The foundation was then lifted to a level position. After the foundation was lifted pressure grouting was performed in the interior of the structure to fill any voids under the floor caused by the lift.

Once all structural repairs were complete cosmetic work was performed to match the structure before damage (see photo).

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