DPR Hardin completed work on Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation’s new 430,000-sq.-ft. manufacturing project located in Savannah, GA. Designed to accommodate several full-size business jets at a time, the facility has approximately 4,500 linear ft. of stainless steel trenches lining the manufacturing floor, which house a complex web of infrastructure systems, some with tolerances within eighths of an inch. They include proprietary fuel and hydraulic fluid testing systems; two 3,600 cubic feet per minute compressed air units (CFM); a drying system; and extensive power and data systems.
The project's unique foundation proved to be an interesting challenge for the project team. The soil on which this particular building is located provided little hard surface to bury the foundations. The solution: install nearly 5,000 controlled modulus columns (CMCs), each ranging from 40 to 60 feet deep. A 3-ft.-thick stone load transfer platform was then built on top of the CMCs, creating a stable foundation to support the building structure. CMCs are semi-rigid cement inclusions installed using a displacement auger, reinforcing the existing soil rather than functioning as distinct structural elements or piles.
The process-driven, MEP-intensive, and technically complex project proved to be a good fit with DPR Hardin’s technical building expertise and provided DPR Hardin insight into the world of aviation manufacturing. Working as partners, Gulfstream and DPR Hardin worked together to create a facility that is a study in aviation innovation.