Screw Piles & Load Capacity Verification
Many screw pile installations within the City of Calgary require load capacity verification. The interesting thing about helical piles is that pile loads can be monitored and calculated during the screw pile installation. Pile loads for each and every screw pile can be recorded and reported.
What is screw pile load capacity?
The load capacity of a screw pile is how much weight the helical pile can support. Structural engineers will refer to pile loads as factored and un-factored.
What is the difference between factored and un-factored pile loads?
An unfactored load is the basic service load of a structure. This is how much load something is needed to hold within its normal service conditions.
However, factored loads are the normal required service load multiplied by a “factor†that compensates for unforeseen stresses. The factored amount that the normal service load is multiplied by becomes the safety factor that is engineered into a structures design.
Engineers will often use factored pile loads when calling for screw pile capacities in a foundation design.
Who specifies how much load a screw pile is required to support?
In a foundation design a structural engineer will calculate and specify how much load capacity a helical screw piling needs to have.
Why are pile loads monitored?
Screw pile load capacities need to be monitored to ensure that each specific helical pile has the ability to hold the weight and stresses of the structure that they are supporting. One of the benefits to using engineered screw piles is that their load capacity can be calculated during installation. This ensures that any engineers load requirements are met during the installation of the helical pier.
Who requires pile load verification?
Depending on the type of project, the City of Calgary often requires a report from the screw pile installer to verify that when helical piles are installed, they meet any load requirements that pertain to that job.
Engineers will also ask for pile load verification so they know that the helical screw pile installation was done in conformance to their foundation design.
How are pile load capacities calculated?
Helical screw pile capacities are calculated by the resistance of the helix turning through the soil. The applied torque needed to twist the screw pile indicates the condition of the soil and therefore the load bearing capacity of that particular pile.
All engineered piles will have a reference chart included on their stamped design drawing. This chart is used to correlate the applied torque needed to install the piles with the load bearing capacity.
CCMC Engineered Screw Piles
The advantage to using certified screw piles in your next project is knowing exactly how much load each pile in your project can support. Certified screw piles must be installed by certified installer. This is because the installer has to have the correct installation and monitoring equipment in order for the helical piers load can be properly measured and verified.
CCMC Certified Installer
Torsion Screw Piles Ltd. is Calgary’s number one approved installer of Twist CCMC certified screw piles. For your next project, get it done the right way and verified. Contact Torsion Screw Piles today for a free estimate.
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(403) 312-1222