Raising level of ground in a flood plain

[indswap]

Hello,
Can somebody give some ideas on how to raise the ground 5' for a new small building (500 sq.ft area) to be constructed in a flood plain?

Building has only one floor and is used for storing chemicals.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

A big bulldozer and some dirt??

Or put it on posts....

 

[cvg]

how about starting with a meeting with your flood plain manager, you will need a floodplain use permit. As far as raising it, you will need about 10 truck loads of dirt hauled in and a roller to compact it.

 

[bpattengale]

Before you even consider this talk with the LGU. Construction in a floodplain is usually highly regulated. (I'm refering to the 100-yr Floodplain, 500-yr is less regulated)

You're likely to run into problems with placing fill in the floodplain, many regulatory agencies require no net fill in the floodplain for development. So if you haul in 500 cubic yard of earth you'll need to haul out 500 cubic yard from someplace on else in the floodplain on your property.

Second there are usually special contruction requirements for any structure in the floodplain. Such as floodproof construction with thing like the lowest opening in 1 foot above the BFE.

Your best bet is to move the building site to a location out of the floodplain.

 

[BigH]

The OP and replies given were a bit different than I had anticipated from the subject - I was thinking about my work in the Calcutta floodplain - an area of 6 m of very very soft clay. Does yours have soft clay? If so, how will the 5 ft (1.5 m) of fill affect the subsurface soils? Will you induce large settlements? (I remember a case history in Sweden, I think, that indicated 1 m of settlement over the long term for 1 to 1.5 m of fill) Will the structure be able to withstand these settlements? Is the floor of the building acting as containment in case of a spill? Is the clay strong enough to support the fill without "end" failures (very likely yes as we were able to put on 4 m of fill for no failure with Su = 18 kPa). Just a few other points - other than regulations.

 

[Hoagie]

A LOMR-Fill should be required. As CVG suggests, meet with the flood plain manager. Hopefully you are indeed in a flood plain and not a flood way.

Since you are storing chemicals, then you may need to provide special detailing for spill containment.

 

[boo1]

In my area wood pile foundations are cheaper and more durable/stable.

 

[chicopee]

Hummmm!!!! chemical storage in a flood plain--I don't think that will fly in the USA.

 

[lovethecold]

Hummmm!!!! chemical storage in a flood plain--I don't think that will fly in the USA.

Then what about New Orleans?