How Helical Installation Equipment Is Transforming Construction Sites
Helical piles offer an alternative option in foundation technology, allowing construction companies to reconsider using traditional foundation fixations. Unlike spread and strip footing, which are standard and prevalent, helical pile foundations are quicker to install and can be more robust.
As modern commercial and residential building construction is becoming more in demand, now’s a time as good as any to be more innovative and witty. Although not fully exploited, helical foundations may seemingly encroach on the construction business. That may offer a solid alternative to traditional foundation techniques, hence transforming the construction industry.
Helical installation equipment could transform construction sites and meet high client expectations, and deservedly so. This article looks at how helical foundations and equipment are changing construction sites for the better.
What Is Helical Installation Equipment?
Helical pile installation is a two-century-old foundation technique that’s becoming sought-after post being used in early construction. It’s even becoming more sophisticated than it used to be when early builders used it to set up structures like the lighthouses we see standing today.
This process uses helical installation equipment to install helical piles, which include rotary hydraulic and electric pile drive heads, helical piles, and accessories like drive adapters and extension shafts.
Most helical piles (also helical piers, anchors, or screw piles) are square solid shafts that extrude from steel. Others are round hollow shafts with varying diameters and have helical bearing plates welded onto them.
These plates usually range in size, and construction companies use them accordingly depending on a building’s requirements.
A single helical shaft can have several welded shafts. Rotary attachments at their heads push them down into the ground using tremendous torques. Several helical piles installed in the ground form a solid foundation upon which buildings can comfortably rest, regardless of size and proportions.
How Transformative Is Helical Installation Equipment In Construction?
The tools and machinery used in helical pile installations are a step toward modern construction.
This equipment unveils a long-used technique that honors the requirements of structurally sound building foundations. There’s more of what helical pile foundations have done to the construction industry, including the following:
1. Enhancing Efficiency
Time is of the essence in commercial and residential building constructions, and traditional foundation establishments don’t seem to cope. Using helical installation equipment helps improve time management, ensuring quicker foundation installation and reducing downtime.
Unlike traditional foundation setups, helical pile foundations don’t utilize resources much. This technique only involves using a few piles that require investing much less than conventional foundations’ material bulk. Every pile used significantly contributes to the foundation’s integrity, which can be more economical.
2. Reducing Labor Requirements
Driving a helical pile into the ground may involve an electric or hydraulic driver, which can be enough. The opposite is true for traditional foundation constructions requiring excavating land piles and setting up strip or spread footing.
This foundation technique is usually highly mechanized and doesn’t require excavating, digging, or maneuvering heavy equipment. Instead, many modern installation systems only require a single operator due to the lesser labor demand, contributing to a more economical construction operation.
3. Accelerating Project Timelines
Installing helical piles requires less time compared to establishing traditional foundations. That’s handy in projects that don’t allow for extended timelines. Since this process uses automated equipment, including electric and hydraulic drivers, it’s more or less an essentially fast process.
With helical installation equipment, there’s typically no need for heinous operations, including excavating, lifting, or formwork. Besides, the reduced need to time constructions with more favorable weather conditions can be low, which ensures construction projects pan out on time.
4. Minimizing Environmental Impact
Excavating and digging disturb the soil and compromise the integrity of surrounding vegetation. Besides, traditional foundation setups may be insensitive to the requirements of sites having limited access and susceptible to biodiversity disruption.
Helical installation equipment uses a more minimalist approach when installing helical piles into the ground and doesn’t disrupt the natural micro-ecosystem balance. Besides, they produce less noise, which counters noise pollution, and the carbon emissions can be lower than in traditional foundation installations.
4. Increasing Precision
Precision has been much-needed in the construction industry for a long time. Thanks to consistent innovativeness that’s unraveled the use of helical installation equipment, precision in foundation setups has become even more achievable.
The fact that on-field personnel can customize equipment to match specific project requirements makes it easy to adapt precisely to structural load requirements and soil conditions. Besides, the ability to monitor projects in real-time, including tailoring the torque capacity as needed while ensuring the depths, angle, and alignment align with a project’s requirements, makes helical installation equipment more precise in its output.
5. Allowing Access to Difficult Terrain
Some construction sites can be less accessible, and deploying traditional foundation equipment can be challenging. That makes helical installation equipment the last resort, especially when building foundations underwater. Some of this equipment doesn’t necessarily require operating manually but remotely, allowing access to rugged terrain.
The good thing about helical installation equipment is that they’re primarily lightweight compared to heavy concrete foundation materials, which makes transportation in rugged terrain a breeze. Moreover, installing helical anchors at angles can be a breeze, allowing construction companies to set them up even in non-uniform landscapes without much hassle.
Bottom Line
Unlike traditional foundation equipment, helical installation tools can be more precise, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective. They’re more applicable in projects that need to accelerate construction time and are more reliable due to their propensity to create more solid and dependable foundations.
Helical pile installation has become more sophisticated due to the continued effort in construction innovation. However, it’s peaking steadily and will continue to become even more reliable due to evolving technology in the industry.
