Tangier Island Communications Building Slab Stabilization
The Job
The Tangier Island telephone exchange building houses the entire island’s critical communications infrastructure, including the indispensable 911 system, landline, and wireless equipment. Located near the airfield, this slab-on-grade structure sits a few feet above the island. Its foundation consists of concrete block walls with an interior fill of local sand supporting the slab. The structure measures approximately 400 square feet.
Transporting material to Tangier Island by ferry.
The Challenge
Over time, the sand fill under the slab consolidated, causing significant floor settlement. This created voids up to 4 inches deep and caused the floor to drop up to 5 inches. The resulting constant need for shimming critical equipment created an ongoing maintenance burden. Most importantly, the equipment’s precarious position jeopardized the island’s sole 911 system. Failure of this equipment would leave Tangier Island entirely without emergency services. Furthermore, the remote location requires all materials and personnel to arrive via small ferries or chartered planes, complicating logistics for typical construction methods.
The Solution
CJGeo proposed using chemical grout for this project. This material proved ideal due to its ease of transport—it ships in 55-gallon drums and is applied using equipment similar to paint sprayers. This method bypassed the need for a box truck and the logistical impossibility of ferrying traditional CJGrout geotechnical polyurethane materials to the site. The work successfully stabilized the settled slab by filling voids below it, and in the poorly controlled fill. Crucially, the entire two-day operation was completed without any interruption to the island’s critical 911 infrastructure.
Speak With An Expert
Ready to solve your toughest infrastructure challenges, like this Tangier Island communications slab stabilization project? Reach out to one of our experts today to see how CJGeo’s innovative solutions can help.
