The concept is founded on the principal of screwing a helical plate attached to a steel shaft into stable subsoil strata until the torque applied indicates that the necessary load capacity has been achieved. Adjustable brackets are then attached to the base of your foundation walls, connecting the piers to the foundation. The weight of your home is then shifted to the piers. In the process, foundations, walls, and floors are repositioned and retained from further movement.
The original helical pier was designed as a wooden shaft with an iron helix for use in lighthouse foundations. Today, helical piers are one of the two most common types of structural piering devices for residential foundation applications in use today. Helical piers are an excellent choice for foundation repair and stabilization when light structural loads, unstable rock foundations or very deep load bearing stratums are present.
Steps in the Helical Pier Process:
- Holes are dug at helical placement points to gain access to the foundation. Typically this is done from the exterior of the building but can be done on the interior.
- If needed, concrete on the foundation will be chipped away to allow for the proper transfer of the loads to the pier.
- Piers are driven to a minimum embedment as specified by engineers or to bedrock or a final torque refusal. (Depth of pier varies by the soils under the structure)
- Brackets are attacked to the pier to allow for lifting.
- Lifting utilizes a manifold system which helps to synchronize the lifting process. The structure will then be lifted to a maximum practical recovery.
- Holes are then re-compacted and the jobsite is cleaned up.
Advantage of Helical Pier
- A time-proven, versatile, and technically sound system
- Lower cost and faster installation than other methods
- Installs in limited-access areas
- Work site is minimally disturbed
- Complete customer satisfaction
