Case study | Geotechnical Engineering
Mark Twain National Park Helibase
Details
Owner
USDA Forest Service
Client
USDA Forest Service
Project Cost
$20,000 (KEG Fee)
Status
Completed 2021
Summary
Kaskaskia Engineering Group, LLC (KEG) was contracted by the USDA Forest Service (USFS) to perform geotechnical engineering for the location of a proposed new Helibase located in Mark Twain National Forest, just 12 miles south of Rolla, Missouri. The project was issued as a task order award under an existing USFS IDIQ contract for design, construction plans, and specifications. Services included evaluation of the subsurface conditions for several new structures, including a permanent office building, two concrete helipads, and flexible pavements for the roadway and parking areas.
Project
KEG was tasked with performing field exploration and the preparation of a geotechnical report. The report included recommendations for the proposed Helibase site, including foundation support, settlement characteristics, seismic concerns, the influence of groundwater, structural fill considerations, and pavement design. KEG was present in the field and coordinated all drilling operations, including locating and logging of borings, and the collection of samples for analysis using hollow stem augers. Drilling was completed with a combination of SPT and Shelby Tube sampling. Relatively shallow bedrock was encountered across the site as expected, consisting of Roubidoux sandstone. Recommendations for addressing the shallow bedrock as well as some high plasticity soils were provided in the final geotechnical report.
