Design/Build Foundation Repair Nimitz Library
United States Naval Academy (NAVFAC); Annapolis, Maryland
The Castle Group completed work as a sub-consultant of G.W. Management on a design/build job at the Nimitz Library on the Annapolis Naval base. The work consisted primarily of the assessment, repair development, and rehabilitation of 27 concrete pile caps that support the library, which exhibited signification deterioration due to exposure to the brackish tidal waters of College Creek and the Severn River. W.J. Castle has completed the design of the repairs and Hydro-Marine completed the construction of the repairs. Part of the design goal was to develop a repair system that would provide long-term capacity with minimized maintenance costs. In our design, the existing concrete pile caps, grade beams, and slab remain in place, and load transfer occurs through both the existing structure and the pile cap repairs in order to maintain the desired structural capacity. Steel, concrete, and FRP materials were all used in a comprehensive design repair scheme. During the initial underwater inspection of the site, our divers documented the existing conditions, including the location and quantity of concrete cracks and spalling on the pile caps, grade beams and underside of the slab. The initial inspection was performed as a penetration dive following EM-385 and all Navy and OSHA requirements.
The Castle Group’s unique experience in marine construction and design has provided essential insight while working with the Navy to choose the best repair products for the site conditions and clients’ needs. The company received the “DVASE 2015 Excellence in Structural Engineering Award for Outstanding Project for Nimitz Library Foundation Repair – US Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD.”