Piedmont Medical Center | Fort Mill, SC

This project consists of a three-story hospital and three-story medical office building. Both buildings are steel framed with elevated lightweight concrete slabs-on-deck supported by isolated column foundations and turn down slabs-on-grade.  Three retaining walls are located at the north of the site with maximum wall heights varying from approximately 5 to 15 feet and wall lengths varying from approximately 132 to 465 feet.  Approximate cut and fill depths on the order of 15 feet were required across the site and approximately 2,400 parking spaces, drives, and infrastructure were constructed.

ESP preformed a geotechnical exploration prior to construction which included soil test borings, laboratory testing, analyses, and recommendations for foundation support, retaining wall design, pavement design, and construction considerations.  Our exploration revealed several challenges at the site including cultivated soils, alluvial soils, lower consistency soils, shallow groundwater, and partially weathered rock. Based on the results of the preliminary exploration, ESP provided Value Engineering recommendations to the Owner for the subsequent subsurface exploration and analyses for the project. These recommendations included performing in-situ dilatometer testing, seismic shear wave velocity profiling, and site-specific seismic analysis.  The results of the dilatometer testing allowed for ESP's recommendations of improved allowable bearing capacity and reduced settlements versus the recommendations for allowable bearing capacity and settlements based on the standard penetration testing for the preliminary exploration.  In addition, the results of the seismic shear wave velocity profiling improved the seismic site class from a Site Class E to a Site Class C for portions of the site, which significantly reduced the seismic design requirements.  By providing these services, ESP was able to provide potential construction savings to the Owner.

ESP was retained by the Owner to provide Special Inspections and materials testing services during construction of the hospital and medical office building.  ESP’s services included subgrade evaluations, undercut monitoring, field density testing, foundation evaluations and testing and inspection services related to retaining wall construction, reinforced concrete, floor flatness/levelness, masonry, structural steel and metal decking, cold-formed steel framing, fireproofing and firestop applications, and stone base and asphalt construction.

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