May 31, 2019 4:21 pm
Boardwalks are an important feature in wildlife sanctuaries and in protected wetland areas where sensitive wildlife needs to be protected. The minimum disturbance is preferable when allowing pedestrians into the area to observe and enjoy the landscape. Usually elevated to allow for the ground beneath to be undisturbed, elevated boardwalks are an important feature in many places of environmental interest all over the world. Various methods are utilised in the building of elevated boardwalk foundations. Water presence is of course, an issue and excavating into wet ground is tricky due to foundation flooding. Therefore, helical piles are preferable in this situation. A helical pile or screw pile is a foundation system which utilises steel shafts with plates welded up the...
May 24, 2019 12:16 pm
Sinking foundations are caused mainly by unstable ground and are a big problem for the owner of any building. The signs of a sinking foundation are quite obvious once you know what to look for. A sideways slant to a building is one of the most obvious warnings that all is not well beneath the ground but there are some other, less noticeable clues that your foundation is having a struggle. Tell-tale signs include windows and doors which won’t close properly or simply “look off”. Cracks in basements or on walls in the main living parts of a home or business. Puddles of rainwater which gather around the base of a building are another symptom that something is amiss. Once...
May 17, 2019 1:13 pm
Helical piles have been slowly but surely coming to note across the globe as people begin to realise how broad they can be in their application. Not only are helical piles the best choice for building on unstable ground, they’re also cost-effective and ecologically friendly and in recent years they’ve been proving themselves valuable in terms of the conservation of heritage sites. The use of screw piles for the restoration of historic buildings has many advantages. One of the main concerns for teams involved in restoring heritage sites is that of preserving the historic fabric of the site, even that which is not visible. Another concern is minimising disruption or damage to any remaining structure and installing screw piles is...
May 10, 2019 11:05 am
Unless you work in the industry or have had reason to do your research, it’s unlikely that you know much about helical piles. We’ve put together 10 interesting facts for you, which will hopefully answer any questions you may have, but if you have any more, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Helical piles are a type of building foundation, consisting of a steel shaft with steel plates welded together at strategic positions. They are designed to hold the weight of whatever structure they are supporting. Invented by Alexander Mitchell nearly 200 years ago, helical piles are becoming increasingly more popular in the construction industry. They anchor a structure to the ground, unlike concrete which merely glues it...
May 3, 2019 3:04 pm
Helical piles have been around for many years, but they are yet to reach their full capacity as the excellent, ground-breaking examples of engineering that they are. They are used in many environments, including houses, bridges, telegraph poles and wind turbines, due to their versatility. But how to helical piles perform in extreme weather conditions? Sub-zero Temperatures Mixing and pouring concrete in cold climates can be tricky and fairly costly. When temperatures drop below zero, concrete must be kept from freezing throughout each stage of installation. If concrete is allowed to freeze, it may be damaged to such a degree that it is no longer fit for purpose. Helical piles, on the other hand, can be installed irrespective of the...
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