Economical Testing of Other Deep Foundations Using Helical Pile Reactions-PPT Presentation

PPT Presentation

Pdf Summary

TerraCana’s nearly 30 years of helical-pile experience has expanded to include vibratory piling, large-diameter drilling, and third-party testing. This presentation describes using helical piles as reaction anchors to test other deep foundations economically.<br /><br />The reaction system uses engineered beams—including paired back-to-back C-channels—and a highly modular layout designed to resist torsion and accommodate different pile positions. A 2,000-kip assembly can be configured with helical piles such as Chance SS225s, 10-, 12-, or 14-inch helices, and extensions. The flexible setup minimizes interference with planned pile locations.<br /><br />Reliable results depend on careful, consistent preparation. A typical jack system uses three or four jacks; the example shown used four 200-ton jacks for a maximum load of 1,600 kip, with six inches of stroke. An electric pump and valve bank operate the jacks. Each jack has a load cell, while four digital potentiometers measure movement. A digital logger records the instrumentation, with separate Excel records and strain logging for drilled piles.<br /><br />The approach can support testing of stone columns, rapidly compacted soils, driven piles, and drilled piles, including CFA, displacement, and Kelly piles. Helical reactions are removable, require a smaller footprint, avoid disrupting the designed layout, and allow production work to continue. The presentation cites potential cost savings of 20% to 80%, and notes that helical piles often perform especially well in tension.

Keywords

helical piles

reaction anchors

deep foundation testing

vibratory piling

large-diameter drilling

third-party testing

modular reaction system

load testing instrumentation

stone columns

cost savings