When competent bearing is deep — or when settlement, scour, or seismic demands rule out shallow footings — the load transfers through deep foundations. I work the construction side: verifying that what gets installed matches what was designed.
Small-diameter, high-capacity grouted elements ideal for retrofit, restricted access, and variable ground. I inspect drilling methods, casing advancement, grout pressures and volumes, reinforcement placement, and proof-test results against acceptance criteria.
I verify excavation diameter and verticality, base cleanliness, slurry properties when used, reinforcement cage placement and cover, and concrete placement records (theoretical vs. actual volume curves). CSL and thermal integrity testing get reviewed against the design specification.
Hammer energy, blow counts, dynamic monitoring (PDA), set checks, and restrike behavior — all documented per pile and reconciled against the driving criteria. On the Logan International Airport Terminal E Parking Garage in Boston, I inspected deep foundations (micropiles, drilled shafts, driven piles) for the garage and canopy and verified contractor conformance.
Clear, contemporaneous field notes are the deliverable that survives the project. I keep daily reports, NCRs, and RFIs flowing between contractor, designer, and owner so issues are resolved at the face — not in a claim.