Kleinfelder / Advantage was retained by BL Companies on behalf of FedEx Ground to provide pre-construction geotechnical and retaining wall design services on the site of the former Aetna headquarters which was planned for redevelopment consisting of a new, 525,000 SF regional distribution hub for FedEx Ground. The project involved an astounding 2.5 million cubic yards of earthwork that required six retaining wall structures, encompassing over 11,000 linear feet of segmental retaining wall (SRW) structures to re-grade, stabilize and optimize the site. The walls totaled over 300,000 square feet of segmental retaining wall block built to maximum heights of 63 feet—making it one of the largest and tallest SRW projects in North America.
During the design phase of the project Kleinfelder / Advantage completed a detailed investigation and laboratory testing program to determine the subsurface conditions at the site. Armed with this information, Advantage worked closely with the project team to assess the various alternatives and determined a geogrid reinforced segmental retaining wall, using processed bedrock from the site as backfill, was the best alternative for the project. In addition to preparing the wall construction drawings, Advantage also provided engineering oversight during construction to ensure the walls were built in accordance the plans and specifications. Our involvement throughout the massive effort required to construct the walls played a critical role in helping the contractors maintain both the quality and efficiency required to ensure a successful project.
As a result of finding the right solution to address the issue, the project schedule was not impacted, project budget remained intact and ultimately the facility was constructed successfully. The early, design-stage alternatives analysis completed by Kleinfelder / Advantage also reduced the initial construction cost of the retaining wall systems by over $1 million.
Location:
Middletown, Connecticut
Owner:
FedEx Ground and BL Companies
