How The Dwyer Company Supported New Kiln Foundations at the Carmeuse Grand River Facility
- Project Type: Commercial
- Project Services: Deep Foundation Systems, Helical Piles
Carmeuse needed new foundations at its Grand River, Ohio facility so Kiln 4 and Kiln 5 could be properly maintained. The Dwyer Company installed 32 end bearing helical piers to support those foundations, working with engineer Civil Solutions. Each pier was designed for 70 kips in compression and advanced to a depth of roughly 40 feet, with a 24-inch helix configuration seating it on bedrock. The piers went in around existing utilities and tight against structures already standing on the site.
Adding foundations inside a working industrial facility?
Quick Facts
- Grand River, Ohio
- Project Type: Commercial – New Construction
- Owner: Carmeuse
- Foundation System: 32 end bearing helical piers supporting new foundations for Kiln 4 and Kiln 5
- Pier Capacity: 70 kips in compression per pier
- Pier Depth: Approximately 40 feet, installed to bedrock
- Helix Configuration: 24 inch
- Site Conditions: Existing utilities, adjacent structures, sand and gravel base at the surface
- Partners: Civil Solutions (engineer)
The Challenge
Kiln 4 and Kiln 5 needed new foundations before crews could carry out the maintenance the kilns were due. That work sat in a congested part of the facility. Utilities ran through the area, and a number of pier locations landed hard against structures already in place, which limited where equipment could set up and how each pier could be reached.
The sand and gravel base at the surface created the other problem. Loose granular material gives a helix little to bite into, so every pier had to be started through that layer before it could advance the roughly 40 feet down to rock.
Key Project Details
end bearing helical piers installed for the new Kiln 4 and Kiln 5 foundations
of compression designed into each pier
helix configuration used to reach proper end bearing
The Solution: End Bearing Helical Pier Foundation System
The Dwyer Company installed 32 end bearing helical piers under the new foundations for Kiln 4 and Kiln 5. Each pier carried a design capacity of 70 kips in compression and advanced to roughly 40 feet, where the 24-inch helix configuration seated it on bedrock. End bearing on rock gives the new foundations a load path that does not rely on the material above.
Getting the piers started took the most planning. The crew worked through several approaches to the sand and gravel base before settling on a method that let each pier advance cleanly through it. Utility locations and the adjacent structures set where equipment could sit, so Dwyer coordinated the sequence with the other subcontractors on site and kept every pier on its design point.
The Impact
Load carried to bedrock
Each pier seated on rock at roughly 40 feet, so the new foundations bear well below the granular material at the surface.
Capacity at every bearing point
All 32 piers were designed for 70 kips in compression.
Installed around what was already there
Pier locations worked around the utilities crossing the area and the structures standing next to the kilns.
Coordinated with the trades on site
Dwyer sequenced the pier installation with the other subcontractors working the facility, which kept the foundation work on its design points and out of everyone else’s way.
Why Helical Piers?
Helical piers let The Dwyer Company put 32 new bearing points on rock inside a plant where open excavation and equipment access were both limited.
- End bearing on rock – Piers advance to a hard stratum, so capacity comes from the rock rather than the soil above it.
- Works in tight quarters – Compact equipment reaches pier locations set hard against existing structures.
- Verifiable capacity – Installation torque correlates to capacity, giving a check on every pier as it goes in.
- Low disturbance – Installation leaves buried utilities and neighboring foundations undisturbed.
Why Choose The Dwyer Company for structural integrity?
Deep History • Solid Choice
The Dwyer Company’s proven track record in commercial and industrial foundation systems made us the trusted partner for the Carmeuse kiln foundations at Grand River. Working alongside Civil Solutions, our crew installed 32 end bearing helical piers to rock in a congested part of an operating facility and gave Kiln 4 and Kiln 5 the support their maintenance program required.
Have new foundations going in around existing plant structures?