As groundwater levels decrease, tops of timber piles are exposed to air. Exposure to oxygen with high-moisture conditions is conducive to fungal and bacterial growth which can lead to decay, loss of building support, and consequent settlement.
We reviewed historic movement and groundwater level monitoring surveys performed at The Original Mother Church and determined that timber piles supporting the tower were at high risk for deterioration. Our observations at test pits confirmed that the piles were severely deteriorated. To mitigate future settlement, we recommended and developed a foundation underpinning and repair scheme consisting of two phases:
- Phase 1 included cut and post repair of approximately 100 existing timber piles that support interior and exterior walls of The Original Mother Church. The cut and post repair included cutting the top 3 ft of existing piles and replacing the cut sections with steel posts. In areas with section loss of more than half of the pile, we recommended the installation of jacked piles to replace the severely deteriorated timber piles.
- Phase 2 included underpinning the tower using micropiles. The approach involved cutting rectangular penetrations through the basement walls, installing needle beams through the penetrations, and supporting the needle beams with micropiles on each side of the wall. Flat jacks placed between the top of the needle beam and the top of the wall penetration were used to preload the micropiles and transfer about 80% of the tower load from the existing timber piles to the micropiles.
