Geotechnical
Geophysical
Lateral Load
Compressive Load
Tension

COOK utilizes its over 45 years of experience constructing foundation systems to assist architects and engineers in the determination of the most cost effective and buildable foundation systems. By partnering with professionals early on in the design phase of a project COOK can bridge the gap between design and buildability. This process begins with a thorough consideration of the actual site conditions, for it is these conditions which should determine the foundation design.

It is upon a foundation that any structure must be built. Whether that structure is a single monopole communications tower, a multiple span bridge or a towering skyscraper the most critical component of the design is the foundation that will support that structure. Yet, it is within the foundation that the greatest design challenges are also faced.

These challenges arise out of the inherent uncertainties in what lies beneath the footprint of the structure to be constructed. Conventional geotechnical investigations can provide information on the actual site conditions, however are limited to single point sampling. Interperlation between each sampling point is than used in an effort to model the actual subsurface conditions beneath a site. These methods unfortunately lack the resolution necessary to model the subsurface conditions with any accuracy when the geologic terrain is varied. Equally unfortunately, entropy dictates that nature moves unvaryingly towards disorder resulting in variations in subsurface conditions. This natural effect is compounded in urban areas where historic construction has added to the potential variations in subsurface conditions and adds concerns over abandoned man made structures on foundation constructability.

In most cases the subsurface conditions beneath a site will vary significantly over short lateral distances. Whether natural or man made in origin, these variations can often have significant impacts on the design of foundation systems and if undetected can seriously impact both the costs and buildability of foundations during the construction process.

COOK employees and aggressive approach to geotechnical investigations. Too often COOK has been involved with projects whose foundation have been designed based upon insufficient geotechnical information. Whether large or small in scope, the financial impacts of this lack of information on overall project cost can be enormous in scale. A six thousand-dollar geotechnical study will be used as the basis of a million-dollar design, or a half dozen points of information will be used to infer the subsurface conditions beneath acres of land. Utilizing its knowledge of, and experience in constructing, the full range of foundation systems COOK can tailor a geotechnical investigation to meet the design requirements of a project, and tailor the foundation design to meet the subsurface conditions beneath a site.

The use of nonintusive geophysical techniques to augment point sampling a full picture of the subsurface conditions beneath a site can be created. These techniques increase the resolution of this picture not only reducing the uncertainties, and financial risks, associated with these conditions, but allowing COOK to tailor the foundation system more accurately to the design requirements. This ability to fine tune a foundation system both in design and scale results in net cost savings to the Owner far in excess of the addition costs invested in a more advance geotechnical investigation.

Further clarity and refinement of a foundation design can be achieved through pre construction field tests of the proposed designs. Load testing of both large diameter caissons and smaller diameter piles can be conducted economically utilizing bi-directional load testing. Information gathered from these tests can be used to refine foundation designs, confirm engineering calculations and insure overall product quality. In COOK's experience these tests often result in the ability to reduce overall construction costs through the fine tuning of the actual foundation redesign in regards to the scale of the individual members of the foundation system. This is possible through the clarity that the testing process brings to the actual load bearing capacity versus theoretical bearing capacities.