Virginia Law Building

Case History: Virginia Law Building

Helical Pile Foundation Solution in a Confined Urban Environment

The Virginia Law Building in downtown Norfolk, Virginia presented a unique foundation challenge that demanded precision engineering, adaptability, and proven deep foundation expertise. As part of a building renovation, the project required the installation of new helical piles to support a newly constructed elevator pit—within an extremely confined interior space.

Project Overview

• Project Name: Virginia Law Building

• Project Date: March 2015

• Location: Norfolk, VA

• Foundation System: Helical Piles

• Engineer of Record: Magnum Geo-Solutions

• Contractor: Advanced Builders

The Challenge

The historic structure offered limited access, with a doorway clearance of approximately three feet—far too restrictive for conventional helical pile installation equipment. Additionally, the installation location was fully enclosed, restricting maneuverability and placing strict limits on equipment size, orientation, and power delivery.

Despite these constraints, the foundation system needed to meet stringent load and performance requirements to safely support the new elevator shaft without compromising the integrity of the existing structure.

The MAGNUM Solution

MAGNUM Piering engineered a customized installation approach to overcome the site’s access and spatial limitations. A custom rigging system was developed, enabling a 12,000 ft-lb hydraulic torque motor to be safely positioned and operated within the confined interior footprint.

To further adapt to the site conditions:

• Winches and pulleys were engineered to support and stabilize the torque motor during installation.

• Remote hydraulic controls were utilized, allowing the hydraulic power unit to be positioned more than 80 feet away, outside of the constrained work zone.

• High-capacity MAGNUM Helical Piles were installed with precise torque monitoring to verify load capacity and performance in real time.

This engineered solution allowed four new helical piles to be installed efficiently, safely, and without disruption to the surrounding structure.

The Result

The project was completed successfully, delivering a reliable deep foundation system that met all design and performance requirements—despite extreme access limitations. The Virginia Law Building elevator pit now rests on a stable, engineered foundation solution designed for long-term performance.

This project highlights MAGNUM Piering’s ability to engineer solutions beyond standard equipment, providing dependable foundation systems even in the most challenging environments.

Why It Matters

At MAGNUM Piering, we don’t just manufacture foundation products—we engineer complete solutions. From custom installation strategies to high-capacity helical pile systems, our team supports engineers and contractors when conditions demand more than off-the-shelf answers.

Engineered for Strength. Designed to Support.

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