June 9, 2016 8:35 am
Grade II Listed Properties have distinct rules of engagement when it comes to planning permissions, which include aesthetic, practical and environmental considerations. History and Brief by Southwark Council ScrewFast received a brief by the local council to create foundations for two unusual pieces of art with unique history; caryatids (Greek sculpted female figures) that originally lined the entrance of Rotherhithe Town Hall in 1897. The Rotherhithe Town Hall had the caryatids attached to the façade that lined the entrance of the building. These pieces were created by international architecture sculptor Henry Poole, who also created art installations for St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster. Rotherhithe Town Hall was later converted into a museum and library prior to being bombed in...
June 6, 2016 1:21 pm
At ScrewFast Foundations, we often focus on the industrial applications that benefit from our piling systems. This includes the roads, rail, renewable energy and electrification, environmental and civil engineering industries. But screw piles have also been used successfully for years in domestic pile applications. Here’s one example of an architectural firm that implemented ScrewFast’s screw piles to solve the traditional challenges of building in an active period home. Building Challenges For Foundation of A North London Victorian Home Hampson Williams wanted to build a prefabricated rear extension on a North London Victorian home. The challenge was that the only access was a narrow front door (typical for period homes), which measured 826mm wide by 2,000mm high. All building equipment and materials would...
May 25, 2016 10:32 am
Helical Piles were first used almost 200 years ago and are generally credited to an Irish engineer Alexander Mitchell who discovered how effective they were in securing lighthouses and other structures around harbours where the ground is not stable. Since then, technological advances have meant that the use of Helical Piles in construction has gathered pace and they’re used today in both tension and compression load applications. They are a versatile product and the installation equipment needed is minimal when compared to that needed for traditional foundations, because of this it is a far simpler process to install them in access-limited areas. Another advantage to Helical Piles of course is that their installation is not weather-dependent; with traditional poured foundations...
April 14, 2016 1:19 pm
Foundation installation is continually evolving with new techniques, procedures and tools. When amateur pile foundation companies are hired, errors are made, budgets are stretched and safety is compromised. Here are five of the top indicators of an amateur pile foundation company. Amateur Pile Foundation Companies Lack Experience There is no substitute for experience in this field. ScrewFast has not only been working in a range of foundation industries for nearly 2 decades, but we maintain a training school to teach new installers and to provide refresher courses for experienced staff. Amateur Pile Foundation Companies Lack Strong Safety Records Amateur foundation companies have been known to cut corners. This can lead to injuries of staff, clients and even the general public. ScrewFast takes a...
April 9, 2016 8:29 am
Helical pile installation is increasingly common in the railway industry due to the speed and safety with which they can be installed. In Derby, we assisted with the installation of a 7M rail signal for Network Rail using our patented ScrewFast helical piles. Helical Pile Specifications There were 8 Screwfast helical piles and each was two metres in length. In this instance the piles were two metres long because we needed to keep below the overhead wires utilised by Network Rail. The overhead wires were also switched off during installation, for safety purposes. The length also keeps the piles at a manageable lifting weight while enabling the installers to easily reach up and screw in the bolts. The tube thickness...
March 22, 2016 1:06 pm
Screwfast is pleased to announce our partnership with new company Tower Safety Systems (TSS). This exciting and innovative company is behind the development of a large-scale, modular scaffolding alternative with potential for use in a variety of applications. Designed to protect infrastructure assets during large-scale construction and maintenance projects, the TSS Safety System has been in development for over three years and this period has included input from Network Rail, Highways England, The Environment Agency and National Grid. The geotechnical and structural engineering team behind the system have created a design where support is delivered by Helical Piles and Backstays. Loads are transferred safely and effectively via a range of patented products offering a system which is safer, faster, and...
February 9, 2016 8:31 am
A recent ongoing study on helical screw piles led by the Deep Foundations Institute (DFI), which began in May 2015, may help initiate changes to the International Building Code (IBC). Specifically, it seeks to demonstrate the structural value of using helical screw piles as foundation solutions in areas with high seismic activity. Let’s look further at the study and what it hopes to accomplish. What is the Helical Pile Seismic Research Study? This study will measure and test the structural integrity of helical pile installations against seismic activity. This 2 year, 7 month study is being led by Dr. Amy Cerato at the University of Oklahoma. How is the Helical Pile Research Study Being Run? This study is being run...
January 22, 2016 5:48 pm
Changing the Landscape of Olympic Wastelands The remains of Olympic stadiums have received a lot of negative press. In a 2014 Guardian article, an abandoned £7 billion Olympic venue in Athens is featured in some sobering photographs. Enormous single-use structures are being built and then abandoned: the result is money invested in a massive addition to our carbon imprint. It’s no surprise that people have made entire art installations lamenting these wastelands. Athens Olympic Stadium was built in 2004 at the height of their economy. Ten years later the site seats and structural foundations are rotting in the ground. What can be done? Photo Credit : Popular Mechanics http://bit.ly/1lex1qu The Changing Landscape of Building Innovations have already begun to change...
January 22, 2016 5:48 pm
Changing the Landscape of Olympic Wastelands The remains of Olympic stadiums have received a lot of negative press. In a 2014 Guardian article, an abandoned £7 billion Olympic venue in Athens is featured in some sobering photographs. Enormous single-use structures are being built and then abandoned: the result is money invested in a massive addition to our carbon imprint. It’s no surprise that people have made entire art installations lamenting these wastelands. Athens Olympic Stadium was built in 2004 at the height of their economy. Ten years later the site seats and structural foundations are rotting in the ground. What can be done? Photo Credit : Popular Mechanics http://bit.ly/1lex1qu The Changing Landscape of Building Innovations have already begun to change...
January 9, 2016 8:37 am
ScrewFast offers leading edge geotechnical engineering solutions that have been gradually developed to include a variety of standard and bespoke design applications. This is especially true in the invention of the steel grillage. Grillages are a framework of single or double tiered beams, placed crosswise to support and secure a foundation. This ridged framework joins the structures to the screwpiles through a group of bolts affixed to the top of each steel pile. Our standard size grillages can be adapted as each project requires, and include T-shape grillages, Y- shape grillages, cruciform grillages and 6, 8, and 10 pile grillages. Steel grillages are used wherever groups of piles are required, such as gantries, signage, overhead electrification masts and telecommunication towers....
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