Comment No Page in the Report Comment ANS Response

Is it feasible to build this type of road considering the type of soil existing in the project? Aggregate Access Roads are typical for Solar Projects. Projects. The soil conditions at the
site dictates the thickness of the aggregate layer, need for a geotextile and/or geogrid, or
1 4
chemical treatment is beneficial. Our recommendations consider the site conditions.

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3 8
4 8
5 14
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performed Sieve Analisys, Attemberg limits, CBR etc. by referring to ASTM standars.
Please mention or discard frost heave phenomenon and the presence of wetlands
Please discuss geohazards such as karst soils, liquefaction potential, etc
Please discuss why results are lower for deeper embedment depths?
X-elio states that no more than one pile will be used for each type of section, depth and
test (horizontal or vertical traction).Please discuss why were lateral, tension and
compression tests performed on the same pile?
If the results are not yet available, how do you determine that it is highly corrosive?
ANS Geo performed all lab testing using a US Army Corps, AMRL-accredited testing
material laboratory. All laboratory test and associated ASTM standards will be included in
the final report.
Frost depth discussion will be included in the final report. Wetlands is not in the scope of
geotechnical engineering. It should be provided within environmental and permitting
studies.
Agreed. ANS Geo will include and discuss the common geohazards in the final report
The unit friction back-calculated from these pile load tests are mostly higher for 8 ft piles
than 6 ft piles. Please clarify which results you are referring to.
The pile testing memo states "Each pile shall be tested under lateral loading. If the pile is
undamaged and has not failed after the completion of the lateral test, the pile shall be
tested in bearing. If the pile is undamaged and has not failed after the completion of the
bearing test, the pile shall be tested in uplift." ANS Geo has followed this intention and
instruction.
The buried steel corrosion analysis was solely based off of electrical resistivity test results,
as the steel corrosion is mainly a function of soil electrical resistivity. But it will be
conferred based on corrosion suite results which are pH, sulfate, chloride etc. The concrete
corrosion is based on sulfate content which is not available yet.

1. Please include discussion on analysis methodology/basis used to estimate parameters. The driven piles design recommendations are based on load tests. We will expand on the
8 16 2.Please discuss group effect and settlement. language and include typical reduction factors for group effect where applicable

In the last version of the document, provide the active layer and swelling pressure, as well We will provide a language clarifying the swell pressures on the foundations and piles that
9 16 as a table showing some examples of uplift forces per pile (e.g. W6x9, W8x10, etc.). the foundation designer can use to determine the loads on the design piles.

1. Please discuss about the safety factor used to define the Allowable skin friction. 2. Is the 1) We'll include the factor of safeties used in our recommendations. 2) These
10 17 skin friction in this section based only on SPT and laboratory tests? If so, consider uplift recommendations are based on pile load test program.
testing results to redefine the design skin friction.
11 18 Please correct Noted
What is the compaction target? 95% of its maximum density as determined by the Modified Proctor Test (ASTM D1557)
12 18
13 18 Please discuss/refer to subgrade preparation. Noted, will be updated in the final report.
What is recommended to evaluate native subgrade material suitability? Visual confirmation for standing water, frozen soil, organics, protruding cobbles or
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boulders, or deleterious materials.
15 18 Please confirm. Does this need to be modified based on foundation size? This is for mat foundations 100 square feet or more.
16 18 Structural fill? Yes
17 18 Please discuss about the safety factor used. The factor of safety of 3.0 which was used will be included in the final report
Please include discussion on analysis methodology/basis used to estimate parameters We'll include our methodology to estimate the bearing capacity parameters in the final
18 18
report.
This means that as an alternative to the geotextile, a 12" thick layer of crushed rock should If geotextile is not desired, then some of the stones will be embedded/penetrate the native
be placed and back up to the design foundation elevation with compacted structural fill? subgrade. To keep the stone base thickness at 12 inches, the actual stone thickness placed
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might need to be higher such as 14-15 inches due to the mixing of stones with the
subgrade.
What is recommended to evaluate native subgrade material suitability? Visual confirmation for standing water, frozen soil, organics, protruding cobbles or
20 20
boulders, or deleterious materials.
21 21 Please correct Noted
Testing frequency? The testing frequency will depend on where/how the native soils are used. For example,
22 21 landscaping might not require any testing or limited testing, whereas, backfill of a trench
might require testing every couple hundred feet
Different from table 13? If so, provide specifications Yes, not the same. Backfill requirements are not as stringent as structural fill. The
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requirements for the backfill are specified herein.
24 23 Please correct Noted
Please, provide some schemes or drawings showing these conditions. Design drawings are not in our scope, and should be provided by the civil engineer of
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record.
Why were the piles installed at 6 and 8ft of embedment? The piles were embedded to a depth of 6 to 8 feet, as instructed by the pile load testing
26 25 memo provided to ANS Geo by AUI and prepared by RP Construction Services dated
September 19, 2023.
X-elio states that lateral loads shall be applied at a height of not more than 1.5m = 5.0ft The loads were applied at 5.5 ft above ground surface as instructed by the pile load testing
27 Appendix D memo provided to ANS Geo by AUI and prepared by RP Construction Services dated
September 19, 2023.