MFS Consulting Engineers & Surveyor, DPC (MFS) provided professional geotechnical engineering and land surveying services in support of the State University of New York (SUNY) Stony Brook University for the New Warehouse for Campus Residences project adjacent to the Schomburg Apartments located on the West Campus of Stony Brook University.
The project consisted of the construction of a new 12,000 square foot warehouse at Stony Brook University located at the north side of Schomburg Apartments on a portion of the existing paved parking lot. The warehouse serves as storage for Student Affairs items such as furniture and appliances. The warehouse features a pallet rack storage system to optimize space and facilitate forklift operations. Interior amenities included a janitor’s closet, offices for the warehouse manager and assistant manager, staff bathroom, loading dock, and mechanical rooms. Exterior elements include a raised loading dock for two tractor trailers, staff parking, walk-up ramp, recycling/ trash area, outdoor workspace, secured storage, covered canopies, and clerestory windows and skylights for natural lighting. Site work involved pavement, drive access, lighting, and connection to existing sanitary infrastructure.
MFS conducted a topographic survey to identify physical features like buildings, curbs, and trees. Elevations and contour intervals were determined, and break line features located. Surface utilities such as manholes and valve covers were located, with measurements taken for accessible storm drains and sanitary sewers. Inaccessible structures located within vehicular traffic lanes were not opened, utility information for inaccessible structures were derived from record maps. Subsurface utilities were depicted based on surface features and available mapping, with existing mark-outs located if available.
MFS retained the services of GEOD Corporation to provide Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) services. SUE services provided included electromagnetic utility locating in compliance with Quality Level “B” of CI/ASCE 38-02, Standard Guideline for the Collection and Depiction of Existing Subsurface Utility Data, hereinafter referred to as Standard 38-02. Any non-locatable utilities discovered through record information or otherwise will be shown on the drawings at Quality Level “C” or “D”. SUE targeted the centerline of utilities for survey by MFS’ survey department. Tunnels, wide ducts, etc. when the configuration is known, were marked with paint to approximate each side of the system.
MFS coordinated with our trusted drilling agency to drill four test borings to depths between 17 and 52 feet below existing site grade in the footprint of the proposed warehouse and associated parking lot. During the test boring operations, MFS observed the subsurface conditions and generated test boring logs to include soil classifications in accordance with the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS), Standard Penetration Test (SPT) results, and other noteworthy observations.
Upon completion of the field subsurface investigation, laboratory testing was performed to verify soil classifications and obtain geotechnical physical characteristics of the soils. The results of the field investigation and laboratory testing program, evaluation of the subsurface conditions, and our geotechnical engineering recommendations were presented in a written geotechnical engineering report. The geotechnical engineering report included design and construction recommendations for the proposed warehouse.