Helical Piers Support Historic Tower at Stetson University in DeLand, FL

Challenge

Hulley Tower is a historic landmark constructed in 1934 at the Stetson University campus in DeLand, Florida. The original tower was 116 feet tall with a mausoleum at the base for Dr. Lincoln Hulley and his wife, Eloise. The structure also served as a bell tower with eleven bronze bells, called the Eloise Chimes, with weights ranging from 575 to 2,850 pounds. The tower was damaged during the 2004 hurricane season, which resulted in the removal of the bell tower and tower walls above the mausoleum. Reconstruction efforts began in 2023, which would bring the tower back to its original height.

A geotechnical investigation in 2024 showed about 3 inches of differential settlement at the foundation. The soil profile below the foundation consisted of very loose sand to a depth of about 12 feet underlain by loose to medium dense sand to a depth of about 33 feet, where it transitioned to very stiff clay. A structural evaluation of the foundation resulted in recommendations to remove and reconstruct the foundation using a deep foundation system. A mat foundation with plan dimensions of 30 feet square and supported on a deep foundation system was recommended for the reconstruction. The site access was limited due to the location in a courtyard surrounded by large trees.