Hillis-Carnes is providing Construction Materials Testing and Inspection Services for Phase I at the Bellwether District, specifically the Innovation Campus Parcels A and B. The first step in the construction process consists of major earthwork and re-grading of the site. The Bellwether District received permits from the City of Philadelphia for nearly 450 acres of earthwork, encompassing over two million cubic yards of earth, which will be redistributed throughout the site. The Bellwether District earthwork program is the largest permitted in Philadelphia’s history. When executed, it will yield approximately 6.5 million SF of buildings and enable the first phase of infrastructure improvements, including 1.5 miles of new roads and major offsite road improvements along 26th Street.

The scope of work Hillis-Carnes is performing includes observing, documenting, and reporting on volumes and quantities of demolished items, soil movement, and ensuring that fill placement is being placed in accordance with the recommendations provided by this Geotechnical Engineer of Record, soil placed is structurally stable at the time of placement until it is covered by subsequent lifts of additional soils, reviewing and commenting on drop plan provided by Deep Dynamic Compaction (DDC) contractor, the perceived effectiveness of the DDC work as it is progressing and that work being performed is in accordance with the signed and sealed drop plan, placement of surcharge as recommended by this Geotechnical Engineer of Record, and storm pipe installation and backfill.

*Photo courtesy of hrp Group