Helical piles are a strong and permanent foundation option for all job sizes, and even tricky job sites. PierTech Systems is involved in several construction projects from commercial jobs with large diameter Hercules Piles, to small residential jobs with only a few piers needed. Working with helical piers will help to remove the shovels, post hole diggers, and more. This can also eliminate an inspector having to check every single-footing hole, watching you fill them, amongst several other steps. Once a pier is installed, where little to no excavation may be needed, you already know the load it can support.
Permanent Steel Foundations using Helical Piers
PierTech’s helical piers are manufactured with high-strength steel, not to mention that standard sizes come with the patented Cross Lock coupling, which can save you time and money. Helicals are often used for commercial, residential, and industrial applications. They are also well suited for decks, boardwalks, and much more! Helical piers are often driven with an excavator or skid steer attachment. PierTech offers the full system in one place and can be completely customized to fit your machine.
The standard helical piers are 5’ to 7’ and come in a single, double, or triple helix. The helicals that PierTech provides come in bare or are hot-dipped galvanized. The diameter of the helical, and the helices, will vary based on application and soil conditions of the projects. Once a pier is set, a variety of brackets are available for the new or existing foundation.
Bearing Capacities of Helical Piers
The bearing capacity of helicals will be associated with the torque that is required upon installation. This is based upon the size of the helices and the soil’s required bearing capacity. To ensure you can monitor this, you will need an Intelli-Tork system, which will cut the guesswork out of the project, and/or our In-Line Pressure Relief system which uses pressure gauges during installation to allow you to read torque as the pier is installed into the ground.
The pier is driven to ensure it reaches strong soil. When the helix hits this and the pressure gauge is showing a high enough number, the installation is complete. This often takes a lead and one to four extensions depending on the application and the soil conditions. To determine the actual bearing capacity of your helical, you will plug numbers into the formula.
When driving helicals in a normal soil condition, the installation should be amazingly simple and quick, and the process goes even faster when using our patented system. There is no waiting for concrete to cure or excessive excavating, and often you can preserve the land around where the pier is to be installed.
How to Determine if Helicals Should be Used on Your Project
Helical piles are used for several residential, commercial, and industrial applications. It is easy to determine if you can use helicals when a job specifies for driven piles, mini piles, caissons, concrete piers, or even push piers. Another time to watch for is when there are existing foundations that have been exposed to moisture, or the new construction is going to be built on unstable soil. To repair foundations of a property and ensure a building does not lose value, you can use helicals to raise the foundation back to the proper height and stabilize the foundation permanently.
If you need help determining if your next project could benefit from our patented helical pile system, contact us today. With the PierTech system, you can save time and money!
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