Cologix COL III Data Center Expansion

S&ME performed a subsurface investigation at the site of a $130 million, 120,000 square-foot, two-story Cologix Data Center in Columbus, Ohio. The flagship data center serves as a key Midwest traffic hub for connection with the Eastern United States. Geotechnical challenges for the design of the structure included heavy column loads, as high as 700 kips, and the presence of weak existing fill and a layer of marginally weak natural soil, resulting in S&ME providing several alternatives for support of the proposed floor slab and building foundations. The structure was designed to withstand wind gusts of up to 200 mph. With engineering recommendations provided by S&ME, ultimately the data center was designed to be supported by 635 augered cast-in-place (ACIP) piles.

Construction of the data center was completed by a joint venture of Parallel Technologies and Kraus-Anderson Construction. S&ME performed construction observation and materials testing services during the period of September 2016 through June 2017. Testing services included slab-on-grade support and foundation recommendations, subgrade observations, ACIP pile observations, masonry grout testing and observations, nuclear density testing of structural fill and utility trench backfill, reinforcing steel observation, field testing of concrete, floor flatness testing, asphalt pavement placement observations, and structural steel inspections.