April 7, 2021 ITS Money: Susheel Kolwalkar, Ph.D., P.E.

Susheel R. Kolwalkar, Ph.D., P.E. | Insight Group

Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal Projects: Buildings & Canopies – Value Engineered Foundations, North Charleston, South Carolina

The South Carolina Ports Authority is currently building the Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal, which is built on historic marsh, dredge spoils, even an abandoned Navy airfield runway, where post-construction settlement is anticipated up to 12 inches over 25 years. This settlement will impart downdrag forces on the driven piles installed for this project. The presentation will discuss how high strain dynamic test results in conjunction with neutral plane analyses findings were used to develop production pile driving criterion for each structure.

Findings

• Value engineering using the neutral plane design methodology resulted in pile length reductions ranging from 6 ft. (1.8 m) to 27 ft. (8.2 m).
• High strain dynamic test results in conjunction with neutral plane analyses findings were used to develop production pile driving criterion for each structure.
• A total pile length of 7748 ft. (2362 m) was reduced on the project, which resulted in estimated savings of $480,000.