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Geopier® Rigid inclusion ground improvement systems, such as grouted Rammed Aggregate Pier® elements (GAPs) or GeoConcrete® Columns (GCCs), can be an ideal solution for supporting heavy structures that are underlain by thick, soft, and compressible soil deposits such as organics or clay.  Rigid inclusions can also be used in combination with ungrouted/uncemented Rammed Aggregate Pier (RAP) ground improvement to optimize overall structural performance and decrease construction costs by creating a stable subgrade for conventional shallow footing and slab-on-grade construction.

Read more about Helical’s Geopier rigid inclusion project experience below.

River's EdgeResidences at River’s Edge

Medford, MA

The Residences at River’s Edge project was a five-story mixed-use structure that featured 282 units, a four-story, 1,042-space parking garage and ample retail space on the ground level. The design team evaluated several foundation support solutions including pressure injected footings (PIFs) and belled drilled shafts extending through unsuitable fill/organic soil and down into a fluvial sand layer. These traditional solutions all required pile caps and grade beams. Geopier GeoConcrete® (GCC) Column rigid inclusion and Impact® Rammed Aggregate Pier® (RAP) elements allowed for traditional shallow footings and slab-on-grade construction. The GCC/RAP ground improvement system proved to be the fastest and most cost-efficient solution. READ MORE

Dunkin Donuts Park

Hartford, CT

The Hartford Yard Goats, the Double-A affiliate of MLB’s Colorado Rockies, needhttp://helicaldrilling.com/case-study/dunkin-donuts-park/ed a new ballpark for their hometown fans. The site that was selected for the development was a corner lot located in a highly-developed downtown area of North Hartford, Connecticut. The ballpark design consisted of a multi-level, steel-framed structure with several large retaining walls and a footprint area of approximately 200,000 square feet.The design team considered several foundation support alternatives including driven piles (combined with pile caps and grade beams) and Geopier rigid inclusion ground improvement (with traditional shallow footings). READ MORE