Transforming Palermo’s West Milwaukee Site: Innovative Ground Densification with High-Energy Deep Dynamic Compaction
Malcolm Drilling brought innovation to Palermo’s West Milwaukee site with the design and execution of high-energy deep dynamic compaction. Using 30-ton tampers, over 10,000 drops were made to densify the loose fill layers up to 25 feet deep. An additional ironing pass of 7,500 drops with a 10-ton tamper leveled and compacted surficial soils. Postproduction plate load testing verified possible ground bearing pressures of more than 3,000 psf.
Vibration monitoring ensured the protection of nearby residential and commercial buildings from deleterious effects. Malcolm successfully remediated nearly 350,000 square feet of industrial rubble, compacting loose fill to enable construction on previously abandoned land while mitigating impacts to the surrounding community.
