Barr’s geotechnical engineering services, at a complex site that exhibited both low-strength soils and karstic bedrock, informed stakeholders when determining the most feasible method for crane travel across the site.
Barr was retained for design services related to geotechnical analysis, engineering, and reporting for evaluation of selected crane path travel-ways at Kings Point Wind Project.
Barr provided crane walk pre-planning and construction-phase geotechnical engineering services in support of the construction of a new wind farm. The evaluation utilized both data collected during the design-phase geotechnical investigation for wind turbine foundation design, and supplemental investigation along crane path travel-ways. The geotechnical data was reprocessed to develop a complex soil strength profile at each investigation location. A unique numerical model was created for each investigation location to simulate a crane supported by the soil and the ultimate bearing capacity of the system. The computed ultimate bearing capacity was then compared against the applied bearing pressures for multiple crane configurations specific to the project construction.
During project construction, Barr performed a supplemental geophysical investigation to determine the presence of potential karst features within the limestone rock along selected crane path travel-ways. The karst investigation consisted of frequency-domain electromagnetics (FDEM) utilizing a terrain conductivity meter and was completed along approximately 26 miles of crane paths. Test pits were performed at locations identified as having anomalies consistent with karst features. The combination of FDEM and test pits provided the client with the information necessary to determine feasible crane configurations while minimizing their risk associated with the karst.