WHAT IS A HELICAL PILE / PIER

A Helical Pile/Pier is a foundation element consisting of a central shaft with at least one helix plate located on the shaft with its axis positioned to the shaft’s length. Also referred to as a Helix Pier, Helical Pile, Helical Anchor, Screw Anchor, Screw Pile or simply Helical, Helical Piers can be used as anchors to withstand tension loads or as deep foundations to withstand compressive loads or both simultaneously. Piles are installed with an excavator or Bobcat/track machine as well as handheld machinery.

Helical Piles can be used where concrete has been the norm. Around the world, helical piers and anchors are used on a vast array of projects including:

• Foundation Repair
  
• Home Elevating 
  
• Street Lights
  
• Billboards
  
• Communication Towers
  
• Seawalls
  
• Utility/Pipeline Tie-Downs
  

• Tiebacks/Wall Anchors
  
• Guy Anchors
  
• Retaining Walls
  
• New Construction/Underpinning
  
• Tilt-Up Walls
  
• Boardwalks/Docks
• Slope Stabilization

• Highway Signage
  
• Airport Lighting
  
• Mobile Foundations
  
• Boat and Dock Moorings 
• Decks
  
• Solar Ground Mounts
• Anything that needs to be secured to the ground

WHY HELICAL PILES or PIERS?

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Helical Piles are excellent for supporting commercial construction, industrial and new residential buildings. 

Helical piles/piers and anchors are used on a variety of construction projects. A helical pile can be used in almost any situation in place of piles that are currently used. The helical pier system consists of a load-bearing helical pier that is constructed of a steel, helical- shaped plate attached to a galvanized high strength steel shaft. The piers are driven into the ground so that the helical shaped plate is anchored into the deep stable soil. A portable high-torque hydraulic drive head is used to install the piers. The load-barring capacity of the pier is based on the torque it takes to drive the pier. As the pier comes into contact with bearing soil, the helical plate begins to meet more and more resistance. Calculations based on the torque of the hydraulic drive motor and the amount of resistance experienced by the pier flight determine the bearing capacity of the soil. The helical piles have been used widely in engineering applications to provide structural stability against axial compression, uplift tension, overturning moment and lateral forces. Helical piles take much less time to install and Empire Pier’s tube piles support greater loads than other deep foundation technologies.

Empire Pier’s helical pier system can provide a lifetime of support free from shifting and settlement, especially in areas where soil conditions are less than desirable for building your structure.