How The Dwyer Company Supported a New Addition Column at Knox Community Hospital
- Project Type: Commercial
- Project Services: Deep Foundation Systems, Helical Piles
Knox Community Hospital built an addition adjacent to its existing building in Mount Vernon, Ohio, where reaching native soils with a conventional footing would have meant excavating right beside the existing footer. The Dwyer Company installed two helical piers to support a new column, working with general contractor Modern Builders, Inc. Each pier was designed to support 9 kips. The piers reduced the excavation depth and kept the new foundation from influencing the one already carrying the hospital.
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Quick Facts
- Mount Vernon, Ohio
- Project Type: Commercial – New Construction
- Owner: Knox Community Hospital
- Foundation System: Helical piers, two installed to support a new column
- Pier Capacity: 9 kips per pier
- Site Conditions: Tight access, piers installed hard against the existing building
- Partners: Modern Builders, Inc (general contractor)
The Challenge
The addition went up directly against the existing hospital building. Reaching native soils with a conventional footing would have meant undercutting alongside the existing footer, which puts the support already carrying the building at risk. Two foundations set that close also influence each other, so the new column needed a load path that stayed clear of the one in place.
Access made the work harder. The pier locations sat hard against the existing wall, which limited what equipment could reach them and where it could set up.
Key Project Details
helical piers installed to support a new column for the addition
kips designed into each pier
The Solution: Helical Pier Foundation System
The Dwyer Company installed two helical piers under the new column. Each pier was designed to support 9 kips and carried the column load into suitable soils below. Working through the pier design let Dwyer cut how deep the crew had to dig, so the excavation stayed above the elevation where it would have undercut the existing footer.
Placement did the rest. Both piers went in tight against the existing building with equipment sized for the room available, and Dwyer coordinated the locations with Modern Builders, Inc so the new column and the existing foundation stayed out of each other’s influence.
The Impact
The existing footer stayed undisturbed
Carrying the column on piers removed the undercutting that reaching native soils by excavation would have taken.
Foundations kept independent
The pier layout kept the new column’s load path clear of the foundation already supporting the hospital.
Shallower excavation
The pier design cut the depth the crew had to dig for the new column.
Installed in tight quarters
Both piers went in against the existing wall using the equipment the space allowed.
Why Helical Piers?
Helical piers let The Dwyer Company carry a new column into suitable soils beside a hospital where deep excavation next to the existing footer was off the table.
- Protects adjacent foundations – Piers transfer load below grade without an open cut alongside an existing footer.
- Shallower excavation – The load path runs down through the pier, so the footing above it can stay shallow.
- Small equipment footprint – Compact machines reach locations set hard against an existing wall.
- Designed capacity per pier – Each pier is specified to a load, so the foundation matches what the column puts on it.
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 addition at Knox Community Hospital. Working alongside Modern Builders, Inc, our crew set two helical piers tight against the existing building and gave the new column support on suitable soils.
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