City: Atlanta
State: Georgia
General Contractor: Clayco

QTS DC3 Data Center Project

In 2021, QTS Data Centers, a leading provider of data center solutions in the United States and Europe, announced plans to construct a 900,000-square-foot campus in midtown Atlanta. This development will feature four data centers, as well as office spaces, retail shops, and residential areas. Recently, Georgia has emerged as one of the top markets in the United States for data centers.

Permanent Excavation Support Wall Provided by Schnabel

In July 2023, Schnabel contracted with Clayco, Inc. to install a permanent excavation support wall. This wall will act to reduce earth pressures on the new data center structure. The excavation support system designed by Schnabel included over 14,000 square feet of timber lagging and shotcrete, 2,900 linear feet of driven soldier beams, and 107 permanent tiebacks.

Challenges Faced on the Project

The client required a quick turnaround for the project, so Schnabel had to adhere to a tight schedule. Schnabel’s operations team came up with a plan to expedite the installation of piles and tiebacks. They also improvised a new design change that enabled them to install the shotcrete more efficiently. Originally, the facing design called for specific rebar in a grid pattern. However, Schnabel discovered a heavy-duty reinforced wire mesh that allowed them to reduce the amount of rebar needed, speeding up the installation of the shotcrete reinforcing. Moreover, there were several utilities installed near where piles were being driven and tiebacks were being installed. To avoid damaging these utilities, Schnabel’s drafting and design teams created a 3D model that helped in planning and execution so that the piles and tiebacks could be installed without interfering with new or existing utilities.

Conclusion

In October 2023, Schnabel completed the installation of a permanent pressure relief wall for the QTS Data Center project. The work was finished several weeks ahead of schedule despite facing operational challenges, much to the client’s satisfaction. Schnabel’s efforts will facilitate the construction of QTS’ new data center campus. Thank you to everyone involved in the success of this project.