Other Names for Helical Piles- Screw piles
- Helical screws
- Screw-in piles
- Helical piers
- Steel screws
- Steel foundation screws
- Helical anchors
- Screw foundations
- Screw anchors
What are Helical or Screw Piles?
These anchors are disks of metal that are put in long shafts of steel. Welding these screws inside steel casings prepares them for ground penetration. The helical piles go into the earth like a screw until they are in place alongside the foundation. Workers attach the piles to the base of the retaining wall or structure. The screws stabilize the building in uneven soil and ground with shifting tendencies. The mechanism is helpful where lateral wall support is not enough to keep a retaining wall in place. Gravity walls can benefit from using a helical anchor to increase strength.
Why Clients Need a Geotechnical Engineer to Install Helical Piles
- Requires a permit
- Load figures need calculating
- Soil erosion and corrosion rates apply to helical piles since they are steel
- The life expectancy of the building or wall is a necessary part of choosing the size and depth of the pile
- Disk thickness varies depending on overall weight and depth of the pile
- Depth of the screw typically ranges from ten to sixty feet
- Hydraulic equipment rotates the screw in place causing ground disturbances that need monitoring by an engineer in most municipalities
The Future of Helical Piles is Bright
Carbon fiber materials are now in the testing phases for helical screw or screw foundation projects. Lighthouses, train stations, and airports are just a few places where this new material will be an enormous help. These structures need to last longer than most buildings, and using composite materials is one way to lengthen the corrosion rate. Water will not destroy carbon fiber like it does steel.
Benefits of Using Helical Piles
- Installs cleanly
- Safe for the environment
- Useful in areas with little room for shoring
- Helpful in new construction
- Faster installs than wood or caisson
- Work in many situations
How Our Helical Pile Consulting Team Can Help Your Business
Kagaoan Engineering is ready to assist your business with maintaining the stability you need, whether you have an existing structure or a new project. Our experts work with public and private entities to ensure that you have a solution for any sub-level engineering job in the New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut areas. Our in-depth knowledge of ground shoring and retaining wall strengthening techniques allows us to help any local agency that has unstable soil, groundwater issues, and foundation problems.
Where We Can Place Helical Piles
- Under concrete slabs
- Large decks
- Bridges
- Dams
- High-rises
- Commercial buildings
- Industrial complexes
- Second and third story additions
- Retaining walls
- New and existing foundations
Kagaoan Engineering is your experienced team of engineering specialists that help you understand the soil composition or stability of your building. Our experts provide new and retrofitting services for clients in the New Jersey area along with New York state. We provide testing services for new builds and find unique solutions for jobs that require an innovative approach. Find out how we can help your company, reach out and
contact us.