Rick had been a helical pile installer and general contractor for almost a decade. His specialty was building small-to-medium size homes, and he was known for his efficiency and attention to detail.
Although he was successful in his field, about a year ago, Rick decided to utilize his construction skills and those of his team to attack commercial markets. After much research, planning and bidding, his first big commercial helical pile project was awarded.
The foundation construction process started as usual, but Rick and his team encountered multiple issues with the standard bolt connection he was using. The engineer called for a minimum depth of 35 feet, but his crew started running into dense gravel and clay at about 25 feet. This unexpected hard soil condition caused the installation torque to increase to maximum levels.
Unfortunately, this resulted in hole deformation of the coupling joints, causing substantial delays in the project. Instead of the connection being made safely and quickly, Rick was spending more time making the connection than installing the pile.
The delays due to hole deformation encumbered him with additional installation costs, and his client was frustrated with the setback in the project timeline. After the project was completed, Rick swore to find a timely and cost-effective solution to address hard rocky soil conditions he might encounter on future projects.
Fortunately for Rick, his team and his clients, a former colleague turned him onto PierTech Systems’ Cross-Lock Connection. Designed to instantly align and lock into place, this solution meant no more wasted time for Rick lining up bolt holes or threading bolts through deformed holes. Unlike other round shaft piles he’d used previously, he was able with the Cross-Lock Connection to uninstall and then reinstall a round shaft pile without any hole deformation. This enabled him to continue the installation process quickly for a more cost-effective foundation system than he ever had before.
Available in diameters of 2 7/8”, 3 ½”, 4 ½” and 5 ½”, PierTech’s patented Cross-Lock Connection features a complete steel-on-steel connection, meaning torque and compression on the bolts is eliminated. In addition to zero bolt hole elongation during installation, it offers enhanced lateral stability and increased torque capacity – the torque is fully contained in the coupling.
Not only is the installation process safer with the Cross-Lock Connection, it’s also more cost-efficient because it saves up to 50 percent in both labor cost and installation time. By combining PierTech’s helical piers, brackets and Hercules Pile with the Cross-Lock Connection, a solid foundation system can be built for a variety of structures.
If you’re a contractor like Rick looking to expand your services, find out more about the equipment packages we offer, or consider signing up for our upcoming Installer Training and Certification courses.
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