Keller installed cast-in-place piles to support a new cogeneration building within an active mining environment.
The project
Keller installed cast-in-place (CIP) piles up to depths of 39 ft (12 m) to support a new cogeneration (Cogen) building at the K+S potash mine. Subsurface conditions consisted of glacial till with intermittent sand lenses, underlain by shale.
Drilling was challenged by groundwater seepage and the presence of boulders, requiring the use of segmental casing for larger-diameter piles, while traditional casing methods were applied for smaller installations. Several pile locations required coring or oversized augers to advance through boulders and maintain pile integrity.
Despite challenging subsurface conditions and constrained access within an active mine, Keller safely and efficiently delivered the foundation system while coordinating closely with ongoing mining operations.