Helical Pile Design Recommendations
With over 30 years in the helical pile industry, Premium Technical Services’ staff has been involved in thousands of projects ranging from simple new construction applications to out of the box applications such as using large diameter helical piles as solider piles during support of excavation. No matter what the application, our engineering staff can provide you with complimentary design recommendations, which include the following services:
- Preliminary helical pile design in both tension and compression
- Job-notes and product specifications
- Value engineering and cost analysis
- Technical support
- Installation guidelines
In addition to the services listed above, we work closely with a number of design professionals who can aid in your helical pile design, as well as stamp and seal your helical pile designs.
RTD Web-Based Software
Designing helical piles, whether in tension or compression, can be a very complicated procedure, however MacLean Real-Time Design (RTD) makes this process straightforward. RTD allows the user to input the soil parameters, design loads, and other relevant project details for a specific application in order to make simple work of otherwise convoluted calculations. The result is a quick and easy helical pile design that you can be confident in. Contact us today to schedule an RTD training class or let us do the work for you so you can keep your projects on time and on budget!
MacLean Power Strength Squared™ System
The shape of a pipe helical pile presents a major issue during installation: how to screw a round pipe into the ground. The common answer to this is to bolt the round pipe to a round drive tool, which presents further complications such as elongated bolt holes, sheared bolts, and reduced installation torque capacities. MacLean Power Systems has solved all of these issues with the development of their patented Strength Squared™ coupling system. MacLean Power Strength Squared™ System utilizes a square engagement system on all of their helical piles, including round pipe piles. This engagement transmits all of the torque imparted to the pile to the corners of the Strength Squared™ system making elongated bolt-holes and sheared bolts a thing of the past. In addition, since the “Strength Squared™” system eliminates the stress on the pile itself, the pile can now be installed to achieve the maximum capabilities of the pipe material, rather than being limited to the strength of the bolts and bolt-holes.
ICC Approval
In 2008, a helical pile failure led to the moratorium of helical piles in New York City. Prior to this failure there was little quality control during the manufacturing and installation of helical piles. After more than three years, the New York City Building Department ended the moratorium with the “Buildings Bulletin 2011-011” which set forth strict codes regarding the design, installation, and testing of helical piles. Fast-forward to today; helical piles now have their own dedicated section in the 2014 New York City Building Code (Section 1812). One such provision set forth in both the 2011 Bulletin and the 2014 Building Code is the requirement to have helical piles independently tested and rated by the International Code Council (ICC) to ensure the manufacturer’s published ratings could safely be reached during installation. MacLean Power Systems was one of the first helical pile manufacturers to obtain an ICC approval on their helical products and today continues to offer the largest selection of ICC approved material in the industry.
Continuing Education
Premium Technical Services currently offers a 1 PDH continuing education presentation intended to give design professionals a comprehensive overview of helical piles. This includes what a helical pile is, how installation is performed, different applications, design principles, case studies and more. The information relayed in this presentation is aimed at providing design professionals with the knowledge necessary to begin designing with helical piles, as well as informing them of the multitude of applications that helical piles can be used for. The presentation is both New York State Society of Professional Engineers and New Jersey Society of Professional Engineers accredited. Helical piles are an extremely versatile alternative to various traditional construction methods. Please contact us to schedule a presentation today!
Contact: Ryan Scall ryan@premiumtechnical.com
