MFS Consulting Engineers & Surveyor, DPC provided site-civil, geotechnical engineering, and survey services for the Queens Community House (QCH) Day 3 project at the Forest Hills Community Center in Queens, New York. The project involved constructing a new refuse shelter and an exterior standalone walk-in freezer at the southeastern corner of the existing building.
MFS's site/civil team prepared a Site Plan Package (SPP) to support the existing yard modification. The SPP included a demolition plan showing existing conditions and the structures to be removed, a proposed site plan detailing improvements, utility plans for water, sewer, gas, and other services, a grading and drainage plan for accessible paths and positive drainage, and construction notes following local standards.
MFS signed and sealed the necessary NYC Department of Buildings (NYCDOB) TR forms and assisted with filing the project in DOBNOW. During construction, MFS supported the project for the yard reconstruction by reviewing submittals and shop drawings, responding to RFIs, and preparing construction clarification sketches.
MFS’ geotechnical team provided on-site, full-time oversight during the subsurface field investigation consisting of two test borings for the project. 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) and New York City Building Code (NYCBC), groundwater observations, action of equipment, and other noteworthy observations. The boring logs showed borehole and sample diameters and depths at which drilling or sampling methods or equipment change. Logs showed total depth of penetration, blow counts, groundwater level and types of sampling. The drilling equipment make and model, drilling method, date and time drilled, casing, any heaving conditions, loss of circulation, voids, or any other conditions observed during drilling were also noted on the logs. During the field investigation, the MFS inspector located the boring locations based on field measurements from fixed objects on site.
Laboratory tests were performed to classify soils and obtain geotechnical physical characteristics for soils encountered on site. The information obtained from the field investigations and laboratory testing were evaluated with respect to the proposed refuse shelter and walk in freezer construction. 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.
MFS coordinated with our trusted drilling agency to drill two test borings at the project site. The purpose of the test borings was to identify the general subsurface conditions at the project site to inform the design of the foundations for the proposed refuse shelter and walk in freezer. Each of the borings were completed to a depth of 50 to 80 feet below existing site grade. MFS obtained samples continuously in the upper 12 feet and at five-foot intervals thereafter during each boring.
MFS’s survey team performed a topographic field survey to the locate the apparent accessible above ground physical features, such as, but not limited to; buildings, curbs, edge of pavement, drives, striping, sidewalks, fences, walls, utility/light poles, signs, street trees, tree lines. First floor/garage floor elevations were determined at doorways. Cross sections of paved surfaces were surveyed at a minimum of 50’ intervals and at low/high points. Spot elevations were obtained at a spacing sufficient to develop contours at an interval of one foot. Breakline features such as top/bottom of curb, edge of pavement, top/bottom of slopes/swales/banks/walls, etc. were located.
MFS located the apparent accessible surface utilities surface hardware such as manholes, catch basins, trench drains, valve covers, utility/light poles, hydrants, etc. MFS located any apparent utility mark-out visible at the time of the field survey that was marked out by others.
For storm drains and sanitary sewers MFS obtained measurements to determine inverts and pipe sizes at accessible manholes and catch basins.
Subsurface utilities such as water, gas, electric and communication were depicted based on surface features and available mapping. Depiction of subsurface utilities were based on the location of surface structures and record mapping.