×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

soils investigation and seismic testing in Memphis TN

soils investigation and seismic testing in Memphis TN

soils investigation and seismic testing in Memphis TN

(OP)
Has anyone done work in the Memphis, TN area?  We are currently designing a two story structure in the area and have had some issues with the owner and the soils investigation. My initial investigation into the lateral design shows that I am designing this structurure for seismic design category D which kicks you into 1802.2.7 of the IBC 2003 code which requires the assesment of potential consequences of any liquefaction and soil strength loss, etc.

The owner recieved a soils engineer estimate and told them they were way to high and decided to shop the bid to some local firms.  At this point, another soils firm has been hired and has stated that the additional seismic testing, etc is not required.  Based on my interpertation of the code, the soils firm is violating what the code requires and where does this leave me as the EOR?  Should my firm back out of the project or write a letter sharing our concerns making it known that the soils engineer is going against the code?  We are a subconsultant to another firm so we have no say in the scope of the soils engineer.

As far as working in the Memphis TN area, has anyone else ran into the contridiction between the code and the soils engineers?

RE: soils investigation and seismic testing in Memphis TN

If you look at IBC 1615.1.1 Site Class definitions, it says "Where specific data are not available to a depth of 100 fee, appropriate soil properties are permitted to be estimated by the registered design professional preparing the soils report based on known geologic conditions."

In a nutshell, this means that if the local geotechnical engineer has sufficient knowledge of local soil conditions, it is not necessary to perform a soil boring to a depth of 100 feet.  They may have information from nearby projects that enables them to determine the Seismic Site class.

I hope I answered your question.

RE: soils investigation and seismic testing in Memphis TN

Are you sure the geotech firm knows that this is a design category D building?  Typically they're not going to assume that unless they're told or they know the soil is really bad.

If they know the soil class will result in a design category D, then they're required to give a liquefaction assessment.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources