High Water Table Foundation in Conroe, TX

The project originally called for drilled bell bottoms concrete piers at a depth of 12-14ft. After drilling the first one, the sand and water was more than the first contractor wanted to get in to after seeing the amount of water coming out of the ground.
In comes 3h Engineering, piers were redesigned to be shallower and wider. This helped but because of Hurricane Harvey, the water table increased even more than before. Problems with water still present.
The property is in a flood zone, between two bodies of water: A small lake and a man made pit. Two top it off it also straddled the border of two different types of soils. Something the geotechnical engineers did not catch.
After waiting a few weeks to see if the water table will decrease to no avail, it was finally decided to go ahead and pump the water out. Six pumps at one point were used (1-4 inches) to keep the water under control and allowed the construction to move forward.
It worked, we couldn't fight the water, we just had to work with it and we kept it out, enough to dry it, compact, form and place reinforcement and finally pour.
We were able to do it in one pour. The height of he column is about 4ft and the concrete did not overflow the base from the pressure.

[@glowvid]

Not understanding why another type of deep pier wasnt used, i understand you said you couldn't do bell bottom piers, but there's so many types. You could driven wood, steel, precast etc vs drilling and filling borehole w grout to make deep foundation. Theres driven 4-6" pipe you fill after hammereing it in etc. Then put grade beams and or waffle slab on that? How deep until bedrock or higher load bearing substrata? How deep is frost line there?

[@gslaugs]

Impressive. Nice work.

[@MichaelGustavsonArchitect]

Why was this not done on a thickened edge slab?

[@MegaThepow]

I’m thinking of purchasing a river view lot, and its in a AE flood zone. Would like to know more about your foundation project. How much did it cost for that particular foundation? If you use timber piles, how long will those timber piles last?

[@joserochape3102]

MegaThepow This type of foundation was only considered because the owner did not want wood pixies which would be more suitable for this type of situation.

[@zb7874]

I wonder if that hole was the result of an improperly sealed/grouted geotech boring? We see this condition on deep boring occasionally (while drilling) when penetrating a confining stratum into artesian water zone.

[@efratawondimu9863]

Its quick sand condition, boiling at this point.

[@maherhaddad6455]

It will be better to use raft foundation on this type of soil, to avoid settlement...

[@Krizbonz]

Raft foundations make sense for soft soils, but in wet lands it's a different game. Wouldn't want the house to float... ?

[@maherhaddad6455]

@@Krizbonz The weight of the raft must be higher than the water reaction. Then it will not float.

[@Krizbonz]

@@maherhaddad6455 ah ok 👍

[@nathanbaker463]

You seem like a great engineer, but a terrible wildlife biologist. I'm pretty sure that is a crawfish, not a shrimp.