Case Studies Sinking CMU Piers

As much as a homeowner can prepare for a natural disaster, a 1,000 year flood is nearly impossible to foresee or plan for. Due to their extreme nature, even well-built homes are susceptible to such catastrophes. Fortunately, as their name implies, these events are rare. This residence in Columbia, South Carolina, a strongly built brick home, withstood one of these tragedies, but not without resultant foundation damage.

Situation: The structure was severely damaged during the flood. Floodwaters had opened up two large sinkholes in the crawlspace, and the interior concrete masonry unit (CMU) piers had sunk as much as 2 ft. in some areas. This resulted in a largely unsupported area of the home’s subfloor.

Fortunately, the floor system remained intact; however, if not fixed, it would undoubtedly sink, compromising the entire structure.

Proposed Solution: Ram Jack South Carolina proposed the installation of 24 driven and helical piles, strategically placed inside and outside the home to maximize support. The piles would make up for the failing CMU piers, and would provide the home the support needed to be strong for years to come.

Outcome: Over the course of two days, Ram Jack South Carolina installed 12 interior helical piles and 12 exterior driven piles to an average depth of 13 ft. The piles were used to lift the structure as much as 2 in. in some areas and support it completely. When finished, Ram Jack South Carolina achieved maximum practical recovery for the home. The repair went extremely well, and the home passed its final inspection.

Download the full case study in pdf format