Most buildings in and around the Midwest have standard foundation systems that use spread concrete footings or “feet” to displace the load of the building over the supporting soils below. These types ...

Pilings based on snakeskin are easier to drive into soil and more difficult to pull out, according to lab tests at the UC Davis Center for Geotechnical Modeling. These pilings could one day support ...

Some of the same stuff that used to be growing near where they stand. A number of the buildings constructed downtown in the city's formative years and after — especially in East Town and the Third ...

Despite recent rains, Boston is still in an extreme drought. One neighborhood where people are watching the water levels with particular attention is the Back Bay. Like much of the city, the ...

As groundwater levels around the area drop, the wood pilings that support buildings across the city can be exposed, leading to decay. Jake Ryan, a field engineer with the Boston Groundwater Trust, ...