Micropile Supported Raft in Bishopstown

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This subsidence project was completed on behalf of a private client via a house insurance claim. The key difference in this project compared to many others is the cause. 

During the winter of 2015/2016, Cork City experienced rainfall levels of over 600mm, nearly five times its average rainfall!!!!! 28% of the 2015 annual rainfall fell during December and 21% of the 2016 rainfall fell during January. As a result, ground water levels rose to abnormal levels close to existing foundations before subsiding and taking away the finer particles of the subsoils with it. This event has a much more sudden effect on a building where the loss of bearing capacity to the subsoils occurs immediately relative to the gradual effect associated with leaking drains.  

The proposed solution, agreed by several stakeholders in the design process, was a micropile supported raft foundation. 41 nr micropiles were installed over the full footprint of the building which supported a reinforced concrete slab needled through the external and internal walls.  

From a safety viewpoint, the ‘particular risk’ in this project is crystalline silica dust which is now a Class 1 Carcinogen, i.e. it has been proven to cause cancer. Safety and Health in Substruck is taken very seriously. Our primary control measures include wetting down, local exhaust ventilation and maximising natural ventilation.