SUB-SURFACE DRAINAGE/CONSOLIDATION SYSTEM POWNAL, VERMONT
PROJECT
HIGHLIGHTS
Reclamation
of superfund site for
location of a
new wastewater treatment facility.
Unstable
clay layer at depth would result in
excessive
settlement of 3"-5" over 5-10 years.
Pile
foundations would not be cost effective or
practical
due to soils.
Wick
drains purge moisture from unstable clay
layer
and accelerate consolidation of clay layer to acceptable
consolidation.
$70,000
installation project saved 3-5 years of
consolidation
from conventional pre-loading, which would have delayed the project to
the point that the site would have been unacceptable.
Close
coordination with EPA to integrate this
work
into the phases of their overall lagoon clean-up.
Cost
of wick drain installation and pre-loading
of
site were including in EPA clean-up project funding, saving the town of
Pownal $400,000 in project costs as well as substantial time.