Every construction project begins with the foundation. A solid foundation is necessary to ensure proper weight distribution from a structure to the bedrock or soil beneath and to prevent water and moisture from weakening the structure’s integrity.
While there are many types of foundations used in construction, there is one specifically used for high-rise buildings, highway overpasses or structures located on or over water (such as a bridge, tunnel or pier). This type of foundation is called a caisson.
To ensure that all caisson foundations are structurally sound, intact and approved for use, engineers need to perform an inspection. But how does someone inspect a foundation that’s 30-100 feet underground or deeply submerged in water? Easy, you rely on the experts at Saltus Construction Monitoring Service and our state-of-the-art technology to perform the inspection.
In the following article, we’ll give a general overview of our video caisson inspections and discuss the many benefits of this innovative inspection service.
What is a Caisson?
Before discussing the specifics of video caisson inspections, we’ll explain what a caisson is and what it does.
Generally constructed of steel or concrete, a caisson is a water-tight enclosure that runs from the ground or just above the surface of the water to the bedrock beneath. Once the caisson is sitting atop the rock, an additional hole is drilled approximately 10-15 feet into the rock to hold the cassion in place. This allows the caisson to essentially act as both a cushion and an anchor that supplies stability and rigidity to help evenly distribute weight and prevent settling. In New York City, all high-rise buildings or skyscrapers are required to sit on top of caissons that are drilled deep into the dense bedrock that lies beneath the city.
What is a Video Caisson Inspection?
To ensure that a high-rise building rests on a solid foundation, engineers need to confirm that the deep hole where the caisson and the bedrock meet is not cracking or fractures. The rock must be solid to securely hold the caisson and support the struction. If it is unstable, then the foundation’s integrity is compromised.
Since traveling far beneath the surface of Manhattan is risky business, many engineers and construction firms are relying on the specialists to perform video caisson inspections. Our team of experts navigate a remote-controlled water-proof camera through the caisson and into the hole where the structure and rock meet. Designed to withstand the pressure of this underwater/underground journey, this cutting-edge camera delivers high definition video footage and data for highly accurate integrity management.
Benefits of Video Caisson Inspections
Apart from being safer and more accurate than previous methods of caisson inspection, our video inspection service provides a variety of additional benefits:
- Real-Time Results – If the engineer is on the construction site, they can view the live video feed to perform a real-time inspection of the caisson and the rock foundation.
- Convenience – Sometimes engineers are off site and cannot attend the live inspection. In that event, the team can supply the recorded footage to the engineer to view at their convenience.
- Multiple Uses – The live or recorded camera footage can also be used to evaluate the conditions of new and existing caisson to determine if their integrity is sound or if they need to be repaired or replaced.
Video Caisson Inspection Services
Thanks to our video caisson inspection services, construction engineers throughout the country can safely and accurately determine if the area where the caisson and the rock meet is solid or if there is cause for concern.
If you’re interested in learning more about our nationwide video caisson inspections, please contact us today to discuss all of our available caisson inspection options.