Structural Underpinning
Planet Pacific Underpinning
Mission Viejo, California
Caisson underpinning of a 17,000 SF, three-story office building that had settled nine inches on the northwest side, completed while the building remained fully occupied.
The Problem
Site Conditions That Drove the Work
A 17,000 square foot, three-story office building in Mission Viejo had experienced approximately nine inches of differential settlement on the northwest side of the structure. The owner needed a permanent foundation repair without vacating tenants or interrupting day-to-day operations inside the building.
The Solution
J.C. Baldwin installed a series of 48-inch diameter, 70-foot deep caissons around the affected perimeter, capped with reinforced pile caps and grade beams that extend roughly six feet under the existing footprint. The system transfers building loads through the unstable upper soils to competent material at depth and ties into the existing foundation.
Outcome
The underpinning system arrested the differential settlement and re-supported the northwest side of the building on stable foundations. All work was completed while the office remained fully occupied, with crews staging and drilling around active tenant access throughout the project.
Building
17,000 SF, three stories
Settlement
9 inches at northwest corner
Caissons
48 in. diameter, 70 ft deep
Grade Beams
6 ft beneath perimeter
Conditions
Fully occupied during work
Project Gallery
Problem, Solution, and Site Conditions in the Field
Related Services
Capabilities Behind This Project
The Planet Pacific repair drew on J.C. Baldwin's structural underpinning and shoring capabilities to re-support a fully occupied office building that had experienced significant differential settlement. Learn more about the services involved in Planet Pacific Underpinning:
Inland
Shoring Systems
Excavation support systems for steep hillsides, constrained sites, and projects that demand precise protection of adjacent improvements.
Inland
Underpinning & Seismic
Foundation strengthening and structural upgrade work for existing buildings, difficult sites, and California retrofit demands.