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Helical Piles: A Product that is Revolutionizing Construction

GoliathTech - 5 July 2022

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GOLIATHTECH UNIVERSITY: TUTORIAL 19

Are you passionate about construction? Do you want to ensure that all your projects have a strong and stable foundation? If so, learn more about helical (screw) piles, a product that has been revolutionizing the construction world over the past few years. 

A SHORT HISTORY OF HELICAL PILES

First off, you may be wondering what a helical (screw) pile is. Without going into too much detail about the history of this product, here are some interesting facts to know. The first use of screw piles was by a civil engineer, Alexander Mitchell of Ireland *, who was, it should be noted, blind. In 1836, he was trying to find a solution to a stability problem for the foundations of a seaside lighthouse. After construction, lighthouses had a tendency to sag. He came up with the idea of anchoring the structure with a screw pile and that's how the first screw-pile came about.

For this project, they installed by hand a screw pile estimated to be about six inches in diameter. To anchor it to the ground, they used a makeshift kind of carousel system. The installers pushed the posts around until the screw pile was screwed deep enough in the ground.

Since this feat of engineering, screw piles have seldom been used in construction. For a long time, they were considered a last resort,only used when the ground was unstable. In recent years, however, construction professionals have been using this revolutionary product. What’s the reason for its current popularity?

Innovations in installation methods and equipment have brought helical (screw) piles to the forefront in recent years. In reality, the original installation method was archaic and held back for a long time the marketing of this technology.

WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS CAN SCREW PILES BE USED FOR?

You may be wondering what types of applications you can use helical piles for. Overall, these products are a solution for any structure that calls for anchoring to the ground, or for an installation that requires a foundation. Here are some examples:

Commercial or industrial sector

In the commercial or industrial sector, construction professionals are using helical piles for modular schools, signage, solar panels, bridges, pipelines, wind turbines, telecommunication towers, or cell towers. There are many other applications not listed here that you can discover on our page dedicated to this sector.

Agricultural sector

In the agricultural sector, construction professionals can use them for greenhouses, silos, and agricultural tents.

Residential sector

In the residential sector, they are useful for house or garage foundations, but also to anchor and support a deck, a pergola, a gazebo, a carport, a fence, a clothesline, and even a mailbox. 

As diverse as the use of piles is in terms of applications, people also refer to them by different names: Screw piles, helical piles, helical (screw) piles, helical piers, piles, piers, pillars, ground screws or pining are all terms of used to define them. 

HOW DID HELICAL PILES REVOLUTIONIZE THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY?

Helical piles have revolutionized the construction industry due to several factors:

  • efficiency and speed of installation
  • reduced impact on the installation area
  • construction in areas that were previously considered unbuildable
  • effective solution to build on riparian areas (i.e., soil too soft or too wet) or ecologically sensitive areas (i.e., a marsh) when a conventional foundation doesn’t allow it.

These are just a few of the many examples that GoliathTech has used helical piles for. Our team is proud to offer unique screw pile solutions while remaining at the forefront of major innovations in the field of helical piles. We provide many construction sectors with anchoring solutions adapted to the range of projects for their customers.

About GoliathTech

Since 2004, GoliathTech has been the most important manufacturer and installer in the helical (screw) pile industry worldwide. Our patented helical pile foundation system surpasses industry standards and has earned us multiple awards and prizes.

Carried out by certified installers, our quick installation process avoids excavation, which protects your landscape and allows you to begin building as soon as the piles are in the ground. Moreover, you can anchor GoliathTech’s helical pile foundations into any soil or space year-round. Installed deep into the ground, beneath the frost line, they solidly support the structure in even the most extreme conditions. Our technology guarantees that a helical (screw) pile foundation won't move or crack over time.

Integrating both strength and know-how, GoliathTech offers the best anchoring solution to support your residential, industrial, commercial, and municipal projects. Trust the experience and expertise of GoliathTech for your foundation projects. Find a certified GoliathTech installer in your region or become a franchisee.

Reference: * A. Perko, Howard  (2009). Helical Piles: A Practical Guide to Design and Installation, unknown location : Wiley, 528 pages, ISBN:9780470404799