A K-8 public charter school that is part of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Mallard Creek STEM Academy seeks to foster student learning by inspiring children’s curiosity about the world around them by focusing on science, technology, mathematics, and engineering. The F&R team was pleased to partner with the school to provide the necessary geotechnical consulting engineering services to help establish the academy on a solid foundation of learning and growth.

F&R’s geotechnical engineers conducted a subsurface exploration, field and laboratory testing, and geotechnical engineering analysis to provide the school with a clear understanding about the  site’s subsurface conditions. The team also provided engineering recommendations to help support design and construction activities. The charter school includes an elementary school, multi-purpose/gymnasium building, parking areas, and driveways. Plans involved the construction of a middle school building, an athletic field, and additional parking.

F&R certified technicians collected soil samples, visually classified them, and tested them in F&R’s accredited laboratory. Based on the soil laboratory results, F&R’s geotechnical engineer recommended monitoring and testing of site grading and foundation construction to prevent potential excessive settlement issues and site erosion. Additional recommendations were made for pavement design.

The firm was also selected to provide construction materials testing (CMT) and special inspection (SI) services for the project. Specific tasks included inspections of soils, concrete, reinforced steel, retaining walls, and exterior insulation finish systems (EIFS). The F&R team also supplied laboratory services to determine the suitability of fill soils and retaining wall backfill.