Ferguson Enterprises

Vibro stone columns achieve bearing pressure and stay within budget

Subsurface Constructors recently completed vibro stone column installations for a 62,000 square-foot facility for Ferguson Enterprises in Valley View, Ohio. Located in the Cuyahoga River Valley and bordering the Ohio and Erie Canal, the site generally consists of approximately 9.5 to 11 feet of fill atop naturally soft to very soft clay and loose, sandy soils.

The vibro stone column ground improvement achieved maximum bearing pressure of up to 3,000 pounds per square foot (psf) beneath the pad and the continuous wall foundations. The ground improvement also achieved 1,000 psf bearing pressure beneath the loading dock retaining walls. The use of ground improvement in lieu of undercut and replace options gave the owner a more economical approach and allowed the project to stay within budget.