Science and Engineering Complex, Geotechnical and Environmental Engineering
A long-term GEI employee, who is also an adjunct professor of geotechnical engineering at Tufts University, incorporated the design and construction of the Science and Engineering Complex into his course curriculum. As the geotechnical engineer for the project, he brought real time data and decision making to his students in the classroom.
Key Challenges
The 80,000 square-foot, 5-story building was sandwiched between Anderson and Robinson Halls, requiring robust underpinning to protect existing utilities and these historic structures.
The GEI project team worked closely with campus officials throughout the geotechnical and environmental exploration work to minimize impact to classes and students. Both existing buildings remained in active use during the entire foundation construction, and the engineering students could watch construction out their classroom windows.
When an unexpected 10,000-gallon underground storage tank (UST), filled with sand, was encountered during construction, GEI’s environmental team worked closely with both the university EH&S team and the contractor to remove the tank without affecting the project schedule. GEI staff also evaluated opportunities for soil reuse on other portions of the Tufts property to avoid the cost of soil disposal.