Montage Health
Monterey, California
The main challenge on this sloped site revolved around grading and drainage, particularly concerning the gutter-less standing seam metal roof. To address this, a ground-level cobbled trench drain was installed to capture and redirect water into the onsite storm water holding basin. Concurrently, the geotechnical and construction teams needed to investigate the practicality and feasibility of the design and determine if the site is suitable for such a unique and nature-oriented approach.
The results from subsurface explorations revealed that the site comprises multiple soil layers, ranging from loose clay to silty sand and very dense, well-cemented soil. These diverse soil types and construction of fairly heavy buildings with difficult shapes and varying stories necessitate the use of both shallow and deep foundations. The results also indicated that the site has the potential for experiencing strong seismic ground shaking throughout the lifespan of the proposed structures. Thus, a range of foundation types, including conventional, drill piers, and elevated foundations were needed.
Utilizing various foundation types with significant sizes such as large wooden grade beams imported from Australia and substantial pier design based on the calculated load by structural engineering team, created cost contentiousness. This was also crucial due to slightly corrosive nature of the soil since the extra measures should be taken to protect all buried iron, cast iron, etc. in this acidic soil.
