A new five-story research and development laboratory on the Genentech South San Francisco campus required Torque Down® Piles (TDPs) to minimize the impact of vibration on high-tech equipment housed in neighboring structures.

Project Conditions

Like much of the bay area, site conditions included layers of fill, weak marine deposits (bay mud), stiff clays and weak bedrock.

Test Pile Program

Tension and compression test piles were installed and tested at production-pile length. Tension piles were then loaded to 167% of the required test load and compression test piles were loaded to between 107 and 112% of the required test load. Capacities exceeded 1,000 kips and none of the piles reached failure.