Foundation Studies in a Fault Zone and a Steep Valley Slope

by James L. Kaufman, Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers, New York, United States,
Alfred H. Brand, Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers, New York, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Detection of and Construction at the Soil/Rock Interface

Abstract:

This paper presents two case histories which illustrate unique problems in defining the character of rock for support of structures. The first case study concerns a conventional building constructed on a site where poor subsurface information existed at the time of design. As a result, a conservative design was adopted. As construction proceeded, the design was modified based on the quality of the rock exposed. This type of construction required full-time inspection by a competent engineer who could make field decisions. The second case study is for a project which was recognized to be a difficult foundation problem. The project was a bridge with large spans and heavy loads. The site was difficult because it included the steep slopes of a deep valley. The engineers had a free hand in developing a foundation exploration program. The initial exploration defined the general site characteristics. A second phase investigation explored the individual pier and abutment foundation areas for the proposed bridge.

Subject Headings: Case studies | Subsurface investigation | Bridge foundations | Infrastructure construction | Foundations | Building design | Bridge abutments

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