
Lowney Associates provided geotechnical engineering services for Stanford University's remodel of Main Quad Building 160. Built in the 1890's, the historic Main Quad consists of four- to five-story masonry buildings. The remodel included gutting the interior, constructing a five-story, steel frame structure within the masonry shell, and connecting the steel frame to the shell. New building foundations had to be close to the masonry walls without undermining the existing wide, shallow footings. The structural engineer prepared deep foundations to support the new building and masonry walls during demolition. Lowney provided drilled pier foundation recommendations and also suggested an alternative solution: Tubex piles. Tubex piles are steel pipe piles with a bit welded to the end to facilitate installation with low vibration drilling. These piles provide higher vertical capacities with a smaller diameter as compared with conventional piles. Tubex piles also help prevent shallow refusal or pile breakage. Tubex piles were selected here mainly due to limited access, low vibration, and noise constraint concerns.