AndBre44
Structural
- Sep 13, 2019
- 26
Looking for some general information from those much more educated on the topic than myself: I have a job site where we have poor quality soils, so we're using helical piles to support the building load. The piles were expected to only go down to about 20 ft before reaching their intended sandy stratum, but are instead going down no less than 40ft, and in some locations boulders are being encountered causing us to abandon the piles in place.
As an alternative, I'm looking to specify a grouted helical pile as opposed to a standarded drill helix, but want to be sure I know the right direction to give the contractor before specifying.
I understand that the use of a displacement plate is what effectively creates the grout column, my question is what would be the means of understanding if it meets expected capacity? For example, with typical helical pile installation I know that when the pile reaches its specified torque that I know that equates to its compressive capacity; are grouted piles measured the same way in-field as it is dug down? Or will they only know the piles capacity if a load test is conducted?
The hope/goal is that they can use a grouted helical pile to reach the same intended capacity but potentially at a shallower depth. Any advice/experience on the topic would be greatly appreciated.
As an EIT, I'm open to being wrong now if it means being right when it counts.
As an alternative, I'm looking to specify a grouted helical pile as opposed to a standarded drill helix, but want to be sure I know the right direction to give the contractor before specifying.
I understand that the use of a displacement plate is what effectively creates the grout column, my question is what would be the means of understanding if it meets expected capacity? For example, with typical helical pile installation I know that when the pile reaches its specified torque that I know that equates to its compressive capacity; are grouted piles measured the same way in-field as it is dug down? Or will they only know the piles capacity if a load test is conducted?
The hope/goal is that they can use a grouted helical pile to reach the same intended capacity but potentially at a shallower depth. Any advice/experience on the topic would be greatly appreciated.
As an EIT, I'm open to being wrong now if it means being right when it counts.