Field Based performance of Helical Piles Installed in High Expansive Clay-PPT Presentation

PPT Presentation

Pdf Summary

The study investigates the field performance of helical piles installed in high-expansive Yazoo clay in Mississippi. Expansive clay swells and shrinks as its moisture content changes, creating seasonal soil movements that can affect foundations. The presentation describes Yazoo clay’s regional extent and composition, and examines how wet–dry cycles influence its shear strength.<br /><br />Site investigations included boreholes, soil sampling, standard penetration tests, moisture measurements, and Atterberg-limit testing. Sensors installed at depths of 5, 10, 15, and 20 feet recorded seasonal soil-moisture changes alongside rainfall data. The field site contained 25 helical piles with varied embedment depths, shaft diameters, helix configurations, and finishes, including galvanized, bare-steel, and painted piles.<br /><br />Pile performance was evaluated through compression and tensile load tests and ongoing surveys of vertical movement. Monitoring was conducted approximately every two weeks, with results compared across pile types and depths and considered alongside weather data. The presentation outlines the experimental setup and monitoring program, but the supplied material does not provide clear numerical conclusions about which pile configuration performed best.

Keywords

helical piles

Yazoo clay

expansive clay

Mississippi

soil moisture

wet-dry cycles

load testing

pile performance

Atterberg limits

seasonal soil movement