Campus access
Pedestrian routes, deliveries, and access to occupied buildings can leave a narrow construction area. The support layout has to fit within that space.
Market
Education Project Structural Engineering
Retaining walls, excavation support, and foundations for campus construction near existing buildings and circulation routes.
Discuss your projectEngineering for your project
Shoring and retaining walls for campus construction
A new campus building may need excavation and foundation work beside occupied classrooms, pedestrian routes, and existing utilities. The support system needs to fit the available work area while allowing access to the buildings that remain in use.
Cefali & Associates designs temporary shoring and permanent retaining walls for education projects. At Glendale Community College, the firm worked with the architect and building structural engineer on a permanent wall for a terraced hillside science building.
Design and construction
What affects the shoring and foundations.
Permanent walls and temporary support
A permanent wall may also be needed to support foundation excavation. Its design must account for those temporary stages as well as the finished building.
Existing buildings and hillside grades
Existing building foundations and terraced hillside grades can create corners and changes in wall height that need to be designed with the new structure.
Our experience
Related projects
Structural engineering support for education projects, campus improvements, and excavation or foundation conditions.
Glendale Community College
At Glendale Community College, a permanent shoring wall relieved earth pressure from the new science building while temporary retained heights supported drilled-pile foundation work.
Related services
Shoring and foundation engineering.
Our services cover excavation support, retaining systems, and specialty foundations. The right combination depends on the ground conditions, existing structures, and work you are building.
Planning guides
Read about the constraints behind this work.
Temporary Shoring and Permanent Retaining Walls: Why a Project May Need BothA finished retaining wall and the shoring needed to build it serve different purposes. Learn how the two designs affect excavation, bracing, access, and construction.Los Angeles Hillside Foundations: Building on a Steep or Constrained SiteHow slopes, retaining walls, nearby buildings, and equipment access shape hillside foundation design, with examples from Cefali & Associates projects.
Discuss your project
Tell us what you are planning.
Send the plans and site information you already have. Include your schedule, known access limits, and the engineering work you need help with.
Send project informationUseful information to send
- Campus site and access plans
- Geotechnical report and hillside sections
- Existing building and utility records
Project photos
Portfolio
Additional projects
01COLBURN SCHOOL OF MUSIC
Project overview
Project photos from Cefali & Associates.
02FLINTRIDGE SACRED HEART ACADEMENY - Multiple Projects
Project overview
Project photos from Cefali & Associates.
03GLENDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Project overview
GLENDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE Working for the project Architect, HMC, we endeavored to create a permanent shoring wall that would relieve the earth pressure from the proposed new science building. The temporary retained heights allowed for the excavation of the new building's foundations, including its drilled piles. The necessity and the vision of the Architect for terracing up the hillside created some unique corner conditions. Close coordination with the building's Structural Engineer, Saiful Bouquet, many complex scenarios were worked through. The project was reviewed and approved by the DSA. The project was managed by Gafcon and the shoring was installed by Shoring Engineers.
04GRAND VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Project overview
Project photos from Cefali & Associates.
05LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY - Multiple Projects
Project overview
Project photos from Cefali & Associates.
06LOS ANGELES TRADE - TECHNICAL COLLEGE (LATTC) - Multiple Projects
Project overview
Project photos from Cefali & Associates.
07SADDLEBACK COMMUNITY COLLEGE - Multiple Projects
Project overview
Project photos from Cefali & Associates.
08SANTA MONICA HIGH SCHOOL - Multiple Projects
Project overview
Project photos from Cefali & Associates.
09UCLA - Multiple Projects
Project overview
Over the years, Cefali & Associates has worked on many projects at and around UCLA. Our work support of excavation work includes the Southwest Campus Apartments, Lot 15 Residence Hall, Le Conte Apartments, Pauley Pavilion, Sunset Canyon Recreation, and even work on the Phi Kappa Psi house.
10UCR DUNDEE RESIDENCE HALL
Project overview
Project photos from Cefali & Associates.
11UNIVERSITY OF UTAH - Multiple Projects
Project overview
Project photos from Cefali & Associates.
