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GeoConcrete Columns - GCC

Geopier developed the GeoConcrete column system in 2004 in response to the need to provide higher capacity piers for projects with larger area fills and adjacent footing stress concerns.  GCCs consist of an unreinforced concrete column with a bottom bulb and a top bulb to transfer high footing or embankment stresses down to a dense or hard soil layer.

Construction Process
 
  1. ​Push/Vibrate a chained mandrel head into the ground to the desired pier depth.
  2. Fill mandrel with concrete.
  3. Raise the mandrel up to the preste distance whil keeping a constant head of concrete.
  4. Push/Vibrate mandrel down a preste distance minus the planned lift thickness to create a compacted lift or bottom bulb.
  5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until an adequate bottom bulb is created.
  6. After bulb is created pull mandrel up while keeping concrete under pressure.
How GCCs Work
 
​Geopier GCCs are designed to control foundation settlements by transferring the stress from a footing or embankment down to a stiffer or harder layer.  The stress is transferred through the use of a granular pad or load transfer platform specifically designed for the project conditions.  Settlements are estimated by summing the settlement for each of the layers with the three layer system:
 
  1. Engineer granular pad
  2. GCC reinforced zone (the "upper zone")
  3. Zone of soil below the bottom of the GCC elements (the "lower zone")
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