In order to improve their residence life program, Harvard has performed significant renovations to a number of their historic River Houses. CVM has addressed foundation issues in two dormitories to accommodate renovations and correct building performance, respectively.

In the first instance, foundation capacities of Dunster House needed to increase due to programmatic and structural changes on the floors above. CVM responded by temporarily shoring the existing columns and installing a new micropile foundation system, consisting of micropiles, a pile cap and a concrete pier under the existing column. In the second instance, significant slab-on-grade settlement had created voids under the slab, resulting in a noticeably sagging basement floor at Winthrop House. CVM removed the compromised slab and installed a new structural slab-on-grade system supported on micropiles.

Location: Cambridge, MA