During the construction of the Miami Children's Hospital, Keller used multiple techniques while controlling construction disturbance to hospital operations, staff, and patients.
The project
Construction of a six-story, 48,000 ft2 critical-care bed tower directly adjacent to an existing, operational critical-care facility required proactive mitigation measures to avoid impacting the operating facility.
The challenge
The existing wing required underpinning in low headroom conditions prior to the construction of the new tower. Limited as-built information, overhead constraints, underground utilities, and restricted working conditions further complicated the scope of work. Faced with a fast-paced schedule and multiple contractors working in a small site, Keller designed a constructible and safe solution using jet grouting and permeation grouting.
The solution
Keller conducted permeation grouting beneath the existing slab to stabilize the soils prior to excavation. Due to the geotechnical conditions, a sodium-silicate grout was selected as the grouting material. Afterward, an excavation support wall was constructed using vertical and battered jet grouted columns. A real-time data acquisition (DAQ) system was employed to display and record jet grouting parameters during construction, allowing engineers to verify the quality of construction.