Stabilizing a Landmark with Care and Precision
Along Memorial Avenue at Arlington National Cemetery, the pylons at the Women in Military Service Memorial stand as a tribute to the service and sacrifice of women in the U.S. Armed Forces. When three of these structures began to lean, the need to stabilize them went beyond structural concern—it was essential to preserve the integrity of a place of national significance.
As part of a design-build team led by Terra Constructs, our firm partnered to develop and implement a solution that would restore stability while respecting the historic character of the site. The effort required a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach, bringing together geotechnical engineering, surveying, subsurface utility engineering, and construction observation, alongside a careful focus on historic preservation.
Engineering Within a Living, Historic Landscape
Stabilizing the pylons presented complex technical and logistical challenges. Their unique design and existing foundation conditions required the use of resistance piers and helical piles, installed with precision to correct movement without disturbing the surrounding structures. Subsurface conditions were carefully evaluated, and all work was planned to ensure long-term performance while minimizing impact to the site.
Equally important was the environment in which the work took place. With daily funeral and memorial services continuing throughout construction, the project demanded thoughtful sequencing, close coordination, and a heightened awareness of the site’s significance. Every aspect of the work was carried out with sensitivity to its surroundings, ensuring that construction activities remained unobtrusive.
Through this balanced approach, the project successfully restored the structural integrity of the memorial pylons while preserving the dignity and purpose of the site. The result reflects how engineering, when guided by respect and collaboration, can protect not only physical structures, but the meaning they carry for those who visit and remember.
