#93 - Case History - $150M Near Miss

GBA Case History Series – Case History #93 - $150M Near Miss

Summary

The GBA-Member Firm’s CEO and the developer’s CEO had worked together successfully on numerous projects for more than 15 years, establishing a friendship based on mutual respect and trust. This project was the developer’s most ambitious to date, by virtue of its size, local prominence, and complexity. Among other things, the project plan called for four levels of parking beneath 2½ city blocks and adjoining streets. As the excavation was nearing completion, three soldier piles in the northeast corner of the excavation plunged downward between 12 and 18 inches and rotated toward the basement excavation. If the issue wasn't resolved quickly not only would the safety of the public be at risk, but so would the relationship.

Our Hosts:

• Elizabeth Brown, PE - Geotechnical Services Manger/Atlas Technical Consultants

Elizabeth is the Geotechnical Services Manager at Atlas Technical Consultants in Boise, Idaho. Elizabeth has performed and/or assisted with numerous geotechnical investigations throughout Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming managing projects, providing geotechnical design, project quality control, cost and value engineering, and evaluating geotechnical constructability issues.

• Ryan White, PE, GE – Principal Geotechnical Engineer/PBS Engineering and Environmental Inc.

Ryan is the Principal Geotechnical engineer and Geotechnical Engineering Group manager at PBS Engineering and Environmental Inc. Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, Ryan regularly manages projects throughout the Pacific Northwest and has worked on projects across the US. Ryan's experience includes commercial development, transportation projects, design for low- to mid-rise buildings, bridge foundations, roads, landslide evaluation and stabilization, retaining wall design and construction, seismic evaluations and solar energy and land development.

Links

Soldier pile and lagging shoring

Tiebacks

Lessons Learned:

• Use root-cause analysis to identify the cause of a condition and never stop working the problem.
• Practice financial fortitude when there is a problem to build good will with the client and identify the real cause of a problem.
• Keep your emotions in check when dealing with a stressful situation.
• Consider the risks and consequences of your actions.
• Develop and maintain strong client-professional relationships.

Calls-to-action:

• Download Case History #109: https://www.geoprofessional.org/product/gba-case-history-no-93/
• Visit the following link to access all of GBA’s Case Histories: https://www.geoprofessional.org/gba-case-histories/
• An account is required to download the individual Case Histories, which are free for GBA Member Firms.
• Visit the GBA Website at https://www.geoprofessional.org for other training resources and reference materials and/or to become a member.
• Visit https://www.gbapodcast.com for future Podcast Episodes
• Contact us at info@geoprofessional.org with any podcast-related questions or comments

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This episode was produced by the following GBA Members:

• Ryan White, PE, GE – Principal Geotechnical Engineer/PBS Engineering and Environmental Inc.
• Elizabeth Brown, PE - Geotechnical Services Manger/Atlas Technical Consultants