Case Studies Williston Police & Fire Headquarters

Introduction: The general public relies on first responders to maintain the peace, provide medical care, and support the community. It’s never good news when a police and fire headquarters needs extensive repair. Not only must cities rearrange their first response protocols to ensure the public remains safe and protected, it also complicates response times and inconveniences the public employees on whom the general public relies. When the Williston Police and Fire Headquarters in Williston, Florida began suffering from some foundation problems, city officials called Ram Jack Solid Foundations to get the structure back in action as soon as possible.

Problem: Built by committee twenty years ago on top of an old cattle stock yard, the Williston Police and Fire building was suffering from serious foundation issues. Not only was the soil settling, but the structure rested on a growing sink hole, making it unsafe to park the heavy fire trucks and engines in any of the six engine bays. The geotechnical report proposed installing 420 cubic yards of grout, but the proximity of the site to a nearby city well made this solution less than ideal. City officials wanted a safe place to conduct first response operations as soon as possible while maintaining the integrity of the city’s first response system. Ram Jack Solid Foundations proposed an alternate solution that would both support and repair the structure while allowing city employees to continue their important work.

Proposed Solution: Ram Jack Solid Foundations proposed the use of remediation helical piles to support the foundation in combination with placed grout to stabilize the ground below. By using helical piles, the amount of grout needed would be reduced to 40 cubic yards, and the nearby well would not be threatened. The helical piles would support the perimeter, interior, engine bays, and column footers; and the interior would be further supported by a newly placed slab to replace the damaged one.

Outcome: Working around the clock in 24-hour shifts to complete the job as quickly as possible, Ram Jack removed the damaged foundation, installed helical piles, and placed a new foundation with no delays. Once complete, 450 helical piles were installed to an average depth of 22 ft., supporting the newly placed foundation and allowing city employees to get back to their usual business of serving the public. City officials were more than satisfied with the job and ecstatic to have their employees able to do their duties in a safe, stable structure.

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