When Ohio State University desired to build a new Underground MRI Research Facility, it was met with several challenges. One of the most significant was the need to complete construction quickly and efficiently, without any noise or vibration disrupting employees inside the existing medical research building. Below is a brief overview of how a geotechnical and structural specialty service company, The Dwyer Company, helped the University achieve this goal with their creative underpinning solution.

A Brief Overview of The Dwyer Company & The MRI Research Facility’s Partnership

The Challenge

Planned to be built inside the existing Medical Research Building, the University’s proposed MRI Research Facility needed to house a Philips Intera 7T MRI system. This required that the lab be encased in 5-feet thick concrete walls and flooring, bringing the design’s expected to weigh up to 1,700,000 pounds. In addition to handling underpinning, excavation, and shoring services without disrupting University personnel in close proximity, The Dwyer Company also needed to work around weak soil and shallow groundwater conditions.

The Solution

To overcome the University’s challenges, The Dwyer Company proposed a shift from traditional underpinning methods in favor of using a hydraulically-driven steel push piers. The foundation repair company completed the shoring of the excavation by installing reinforced shotcrete facing and helical tieback anchors. Based on a finite element plate design, these were used to apply different lateral pressure distributions throughout each stage of construction.

Conclusion

The Dwyer Company’s construction was completed safely, with no vertical or lateral movement of the shoring and underpinning system detected during any portion of the project. Noise levels remained low, and no significant vibrations were detected by those working in adjacent areas of the medical research building. In addition to meeting the University’s specific needs, the project’s total budget was comparable to conventional shoring methods, despite the unique challenges associated with the case.

As one of the largest foundation repair, waterproofing, soil stabilization, and concrete lifting companies in the U.S., The Dwyer Company has been serving Lexington and Louisville, KY, as well as West Chester, OH, since 1973. To learn more about the company’s underpinning and foundation repair experience, view all of their case histories online. You can also call the Lexington location at (859) 231-0998, the Louisville location at (502) 489-5438, or the West Chester location at (513) 777-0998 to schedule your free estimate today.