PCI served as the Prime Contractor for the "Mass Excavation, Shoring and Deep Foundations" bid package for the new 14-story hospital with a 3-story below-grade parking deck.  The University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital is a pediatric acute care academic children's hospital located in Iowa City, Iowa. The hospital, affiliated with the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, is one of the only children's hospitals in the region and features the only ACS-verified Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center in the state.

The scope for this project included excavating a 53-ft-deep hole with dimensions of 300 by 400 ft for a total of 250,000 cubic yards of removed material.  Imagine a hole that could house two Boeing 777 jets!  The excavation was in close proximity to many existing buildings and structures, including the existing University of Iowa hospital and the historic Kinnick Stadium. 

The excavation retention system on the south end of the excavation consisted of a design-build steel soldier beam and wood lagging shoring system with three levels of grouted strand tiebacks.  The soldier beams were drilled and grouted from the existing grade.  The retention system on the opposite side of the excavation consisted of a water-tight concrete secant pile wall with tiebacks.  About 450 overlapping concrete shafts were installed that would become the secant pile shoring system.  A total of two drill rigs worked around the clock to drill the secant piles.  One significant challenge on this site was that the project directly overlaid an existing 4-story above grade parking deck that was being demolished during the shoring installation and excavation. 

Once the bottom of the excavation was reached, drilled concrete piers socketed into the bedrock were installed for building foundation support.   PCI delivered this large and complex project on schedule and was recognized with the "Award of Excellence in the Specialty – Commercial and Industrial over $2 Million Category" from the Associated Builders and Contractors of Iowa for their work of the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.