This example project highlights our ground-improvement toolkit on a flat, low-lying site with organic/soft silts near the surface and seasonally variable groundwater—exactly the kind of conditions where preloading + monitoring can unlock an efficient, resilient foundation solution.
1) Preload to take settlement now—not later
We specified a preload embankment (minimum unit weight) to ~3 m above top-of-slab, extending beyond the footprint, to pre-compress the organic/soft strata. Duration was targeted for ~2–3 months, with settlement-rate verification.
2) Settlement monitoring program
Ten evenly spaced settlement points (rebar posts on plates within sheaths) were installed during placement; survey immediately after placement, then weekly/bi-weekly cadence until stabilization.
3) Foundation concept tuned to seismic + settlement
To satisfy seismic demands while managing post-construction settlement, a raft-slab foundation with local thickening was selected as the most economical path paired with preloading—keeping the system unified against lateral spreading and resisting punching during shaking.
We tied groundwater observations to creek stage and set finished floor/grades against the 6.8 m FCL, ensuring practical buildability during construction and flood resilience in service.
