5 Innovative New Ways to Use Helical Piles

Using screw piles for a playground's foundation and other ways to use helical piles

Many contractors already know about the tremendous advantages offered by using helical piles (or screw piles) as foundations for homes and buildings. But there are many more ways to use helical piles than just securing large structures in a variety of soil conditions. Some of these innovative applications are beginning to find favor with knowledgeable construction professionals and general contractors around the country.

Benefits of Using Helical Piles

It has long been known that helical piles are an ideal system to use in locations where the type of soil makes a traditional foundation more risky. Many residents of New Jersey discovered after Hurricane Sandy that helical piles could be used to great advantage for elevating their homes above storm surge levels, providing a level of safety and peace of mind.

Since installation of helical piles is generally much quicker than other deep foundation solutions, many builders appreciate using them when time constraints are involved with their construction projects. In neighborhoods of existing housing, where there is little room between buildings for equipment to operate, helical piles can be a much easier install than a conventional foundation.  The same is true for foundation repair work – helical piles can be installed much more easily in confined spaces.

Helicals are an ideal solution when building on water or wetlands. For typical construction, when building on good, dry soil, traditional concrete foundations are a cost-effective choice, but in certain situations, where the ground will be less accepting of concrete, screw piles are the perfect alternative.

Unlike most other foundation methods, helical piles can also be removed and recycled with very little effort. Since, in many cases, they were only screwed into the ground in the first place, it is only necessary to ‘un-screw’ them, and use them again somewhere else. The versatility provided by helical piles is unmatched in building circles, since they can be easily configured to adapt to removable structures, and provide tremendous value however they’re being used.

Finding New Ways to Use Helical Piles

The truth is, there are endless ways to use helical piles whenever any kind of anchoring or foundation is needed for structures large or small. In fact, they are fast changing the way that foundations are installed for many structures. It may be a cliché, but the only real limitation is a builder’s imagination and creativity. Here are some non-traditional ways we use helical piles…

Fencing Posts 

When fencing posts or deck foundations are attached to helical piles – they aren’t going anywhere. Even when fencing has to be setup in some marshy or soft soils, the fence posts can be attached to the mounting brackets on helical piles secured deep in the ground, where a stable layer of soil exists. Not only is there stability for the posts, but maximum support is also delivered.

Solar Farms 

As the demand for clean energy increases, so does the need for expansive solar farms around the country. There are a few fast, reliable, and cost-effective methods to anchor free-standing solar arrays,  including h-piles and helical piles. Both are capable of withstanding tremendous stresses applied by tensile, compressive, and lateral forces. With no real need for concrete, they can be installed very quickly, allowing more time for the other aspects of solar array construction.

When expanding an existing solar farm, it may be difficult to navigate big, pile-driving equipment around existing solar arrays. In cases like this, the small, agile machinery required to drive helical piles may be the only option. A mini-excavator is usually all that’s necessary.

Playgrounds

Of all the potential ways to use helical piles, you might not immediately think of a playground. However, anchoring a modern playground couldn’t be simpler than using helical piles. Mounting bracket can connect to the installed piles before securing the recreational equipment. With a totally reliable anchoring system, a playground can be made safe from all manner of forces which might act on it, and when children’s safety is an issue, total reliability is always the first priority.

Party Tents 

When you setup party tents in the same location time and time again for a recurring event, or series of events, it makes sense to provide a more permanent anchoring system for those party tents. The perfect solution to the problem is to install however many helical piles are needed to accommodate the number of tents which get erected, and simply attach the tents to the semi-permanent helical piles. Not only will there be great stability for the tents, but it won’t be necessary to re-invent the wheel for each year’s setup. As an added bonus, by using semi-permanent piles, certain styles of tents may allow you to eliminate or reduce the number of wires for patrons to trip over.

Boardwalks

Boardwalks are generally located in close proximity to some body of water, usually an ocean, and that makes securing them a bit of a challenge. Not a problem for an experienced helical pile installer. The boardwalk structure itself can be safely installed well above the normal water line, and can be attached with brackets to the piles. Flood-prone areas may even be zoned to mandate helical pile usage in the future, because they are so effective at anchoring structures on or around water. Also important to note is the eco-friendliness of helical piles for wetland boardwalks. It’s unmatched by other foundation methods, as there’s no grout necessary, no spoils from drilling and only the piles are left behind. As a result, the project has a very low environmental impact and poses no threat to surrounding wildlife.

Innovating Foundations Everywhere

Granted, not all projects are appropriate ways to use helical piles. But they are an incredibly useful and effective solution when construction needed to start yesterday. This is especially true for above-grade structures, when building on sites near water, and on projects with access limitations which can hinder larger machinery.

Conte Company has a line of Shallow Helical Piles, which cost less to produce and install than their larger counterpart. These shorter piles work in exactly the same way and are a great solution for all sorts of light-structure foundations. Our subsidiary company, Innovative Foundation Systems, specializes in pile foundations for fencing and solar, as well as other applications where concrete has traditionally been used. Contact us for more information.

Do you have a creative way to use helical piles?

Let’s talk! We can help you think it through…

Wetland Boardwalk Construction: Solutions for a Fragile Eco-System

The Quequechan River Rail-Trail Project is a beautiful example of wetland boardwalk construction

Building a boardwalk over wetlands is a great way to add value to a community. Wetland boardwalks give the public a way to enjoy the beauty of nature, in place that would otherwise be off-limits. But building a walkway in such a fragile environment brings many challenges. Especially in environmentally protected areas, there are a number of factors that need to be considered in wetland boardwalk construction.

One of our recent boardwalk construction jobs in Fall River, Massachusetts is a perfect example of how a great site plan, combined with a little creativity and lots of experience can result in a breathtaking natural sanctuary for the public to explore.

The Quequechan River Rail-Trail

For over 30 years the Rails to Trails Conservancy® has been helping to transform unused railroad corridors into vibrant public places to be enjoyed by the community. The initiative has been so successful that public and private funds have poured into new, local projects all over the country. 

Conte Company had a great opportunity to work on just such a project last year in Fall River, Massachusetts. The beautiful landscape, full of wildlife in a robust wetland sanctuary challenged us to complete a highly-sensitive, environmental project using our highly adaptable, helical pile expertise.

Now completed, we are extremely proud of this project and happy to bring the story of its construction to our readers. Like us, most of you love being outdoors, enjoying what nature has to offer while maintaining its pristine beauty. Fall River wanted the same for their residents and decided to complete part of a hiking and biking trail that followed the old Fall River Rail Line. The rail bed was being recycled with help from the Rails to Trails folks, who sponsor these kinds of projects all over the USA.

During the wetland boardwalk construction on the Quequechan River

A Boardwalk Foundation Supported by Mud

In a nutshell, we were asked to connect a trail that ran down the center of a few tiny islands while making the island trails accessible from each river bank. The islands were separated by stretches of the flowing water, swampy wetlands and various grades of soft wet soil. Our mission was to develop a support system for four bridges which would seamlessly connect the trails running through these islands.

Using helical piles to build or repair a boardwalk is not uncommon. In fact, for building on wetlands, helical piers are the most effective solution to support paths, bridges and walkways. So when we first heard about this boardwalk construction project in Fall River, we knew it had our name all over it. We had the expertise, the experience and the attention to detail to do the job right.

We live to find new and better ways to build stronger foundations, which is why we are the #1 installer of Chance® Helical Piles in New England! After a few references from previous projects, the general contractor knew that our construction footprint would be nowhere to be found once the pathway was complete. And so, the job was ours.

Working in a Protected Eco-System

To dig right in, this project pitted a variety of environmental challenges against the special requirements of the boardwalk. First and foremost, protection of the wetland plants and animals inhabiting the river and surrounding marshes topped the priority list. A tricky work environment, unpredictable soil conditions and a litany of environmental regulations would be enough to scare off most contractors, but not Conte Company.

“Conte Company’s experience with environmentally sensitive areas, and the regulations protecting them, was invaluable to the success of this project.”

Strong Enough for Semis

The boardwalk requirements were challenging in-and-of itself. In short, a total of 4 bridges were needed, which had to be H20 loaded. That means they had to be strong enough to support 18 wheeler trucks! In our experience, the best way to accomplish this type of necessary support was to space the piles more closely together and use batter piles (angled supports) to resist lateral loads.

The need for this added structural strength is unusual. Most boardwalks we build are pedestrian rated and we can bring in our smaller equipment to install the piles. In this case, however, it was mandatory that the popular walking, running and biking path had access for emergency vehicles. The Quequechan River Boardwalk was designed for pedestrians, but also needed to be able to support ambulances and other first responders, which would require much bigger helical piles sizes than we would normally install. Ultimately, this job required us to bring in the big excavator in order to drive the large diameter piles into the soil beneath the water.

With all of these ingredients and the big equipment necessary to install a heavy-duty boardwalk, the project had all the ingredients for disaster… that is if a less experienced company had been hired for the job. But Fall River hired Conte Company and we’re proud to take on the most complicated wetland boardwalk construction projects.

Barges are the Answer

Given the nature of the delicate eco-system in which we need to work, the first major question that came up was:

“How do you get the big equipment where it needs to go, to do what it needs to do, without compromising the eco-system or the safety of the workers?”

The solution was barges! We’ve used barges in helical pile installations before, and they’ve worked really well. We decided that floating pontoon barges to transport equipment and materials was the way to go. The big excavators could reach over the side of the barge, lower the helical piles into the water and screw them into the ground. Our guys, on free-floating docks, would guide the helical piles into position and bolt on the extensions so they could be driven deep into the soil. Our experienced crew could focus on this intricate task because we’ve done it before. We have a lot of experience around water and didn’t forget the bug spray). At Conte Company, safety is always first!

Installing helical piles underwater for a wetland boardwalk construction project

Boardwalk Bridges, Made To Order

Two of the longer bridges were to stem from opposite shores and meet on the biggest island, allowing pedestrians to cross from one side of the river to the other. The two shorter bridges were to span a few smaller gaps over the water. The longest bridge was to be 500 feet, the shortest 100 feet, and we would have to use a grand total of 600 helical piles to make everything hook up — and stay up.

A Google satellite view of the River Rail Trail boardwalk in Fall River, MA
An aerial view of the two boardwalk bridges spanning The Quequechan River

View this project on Google Maps

The boardwalk’s roadbed was to be lined with 10-inch wide timber sections. Each section would require us to fabricate custom, galvanized beam saddles to secure the boardwalk to its helical pile system.

The general contractor fabricated each timber boardwalk section based on measurements of the piles as we installed them. And each boardwalk section was attached to the foundation as it was completed. You can think of it like a custom boardwalk assembly line. As we go, so go the boards. This requires meticulous care to ensure that each and every pile was plum, secure and properly aligned with each of the other piles.

“Helicals were really the only option on an environmentally delicate job like this.”

Batter piles and beam saddles are used with helical piles to offer aditional support
An intricate helical pile system complete with batter piles and beam saddles support the wetland boardwalk

Using Helical Piles for Boardwalks

There are three reasons why helical piles are the perfect solution for wetland boardwalk construction: Logistics, Structural Stability and Environmental Impact…

Logistically and structurally, using helical piles in wetland boardwalk construction makes a ton of sense

Simplified Logistics

Compared to other types of pile foundations, helical pile systems are easy to install and require less maneuvering room to do it. The arm of the pile driving excavator can reach out away from the machine, whereas other types of piles systems need to be drilled or driven straight down.

One-path-in and one-path-out means there’s not a lot of room for extra machinery. Fortunately, to install helical piers, you really only need the one excavator. No other pile system could be installed faster or more efficiently than helical.

High Structural Stability

As we mentioned, construction of the boardwalk itself was being measured, fit and installed right in our footsteps. This meant the foundation needed to be secure and able to hold capacity immediately. That’s sort of a trademark of screw pile systems, as they do not require concrete.

Screw piles are also incredibly stable in soft soils, like mud and riverbed. In this case we used round shaft helical piles to accommodate the potential trailer truck loads. Even if another pile system were easier to install (which it wasn’t), a helical foundation was the correct choice for the project.

Low Environmental Impact

As we mentioned, protecting the eco-system in which we were working was one of the most important aspects of this job. And helical pile systems have very little impact on their environment, even feet from where they’re being installed.

  • No Grout Necessary – No contamination to the water or the habitat.
  • No Spoils from Drilling – No dirt or mud was pulled up from screwing the piles into the ground.
  • Only Piles Remain – Nothing goes into the water except for shiny, galvanized, steel piles.
  • No Danger to Wildlife – Piles are screwed deep underground, posing no threat to living things.
  • Finished Fast – Completed in just a few months, the environment was to back to normal before Springtime!

“All of this had to be done in real time, while working on a barge, floating in 6 feet of water, in an environmentally protected area, alongside birds, fish and turtles. This job was interesting, to say the least.”

Building a boardwalk in the wetlands means working alongside birds, fish and turtles

All-in-all we couldn’t be happier with how this project tuned out. If you’ve got a boardwalk project and need some expert advice, give us a call. Our experience with wetland boardwalk construction and pile foundation systems makes us one of the most qualified contractors in the country.

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Quequechan River Boardwalk in Winter
Even in Winter, the Quequechan River Boardwalk can be enjoyed by all

Bulkhead Repair: Overcoming the Challenges of a Failing Boardwalk

Bulkhead repair in Norwalk Connecticut

Norwalk, CT is our home and the place where Conte Company was started in 1948. The town was founded in 1640 on the southern shoreline of CT known as the Long Island Sound. Norwalk is less than 50 miles from downtown Manhattan, but light years away in attitude and economic history.

Well known for its oystering industry, the town grew and prospered, attracting new residents who want to live on or near salt water while still in commutable distance from NYC. Charles Cove is a man-made tidal inlet, a quarter mile cut in from Long Island Sound, surrounded by a boardwalk, boasting luxury boat marinas and high-end condos. The Charles Cove Condos, which wrap cozily around the end of the cove, were built in 2004 and are highly popular for their location near beaches and shopping. Recent sales have them priced at just under a million dollars each.

Boardwalk foundations are a perfect fit for helical piles

Rotting Bulkheads in Need of Maintenance

Last year, the board of directors of the Charles Cove Condominium complex were informed that the wooden bulkheads holding up their complex were rotting and in serious danger of collapse. Apparently, the salt water tides running in and out of Charles Cove twice each day had taken a serious toll on the foundational structures. The residents, who strolled peacefully along the water on the complex’s walkways probably had no idea they were right on top of a disintegrating bulkhead.

Fortunately, someone did notice the rot and a marine contractor was quickly hired. But, instead of attempting a bulkhead repair by replacing the old bulkhead, the engineers proposed building a new bulkhead directly over the old one using new bulkhead sheeting, secured with piled tiebacks. This was going to be challenging, considering the natural elements in play, so the marine contractor wisely placed a phone call to Conte Company. (We are well known as the folks who love a good challenge and this one was going to be a doozy!)

Let’s talk about your project’s foundation challenges

A rotting bulkhead under a boardwalk in dire need of repair

Barging-In and Timing the Tides

We are well known for our helical pile technology expertise, which turned out to be the perfect solution to create tiebacks for this precariously threatened bulkhead.

We determined that our helical pile tiebacks would have to be securely drilled into the old timber retaining wall, a structure directly perpendicular to the salty waters of Charles Cove — and right below that 8-foot walkway. The new, poly-coated composite wall could then be attached to our secure helical piles. And, because this very tight working space was not accessible from land, we also planned to bring in a small barge to hold and transport our drilling equipment and crew for the bulkhead repair.

However, being raised in a shoreline town, we were aware in advance of a bigger challenge. Each 12.5 high tide was going to raise our working barge at least a few feet and once raised, we knew that our drilling boom would not always fit under the walkway. We would only be able to work from low-tide until just before mid-tide. Providing this critical timing information to the marine contractor in advance enabled them to plan ahead for other aspects of the project and helped to keep the project on schedule.

(we bend over backward to work efficiently)

Finding creative ways to repair a water damaged bulkhead under the boardwalk

Men Overboard (with Extensions)!

With the tidal problems addressed, our crack team anticipated, and solved, another watery problem before we began our bulkhead repair work. The barge, small as it was, still needed to be anchored 10 feet away from the bulkhead. The vertical piers that hold up the boardwalk kept the barge and our machines from getting up close and personal with our work. We were not going to get it close enough for our boom to reach where the piles needed to be drilled.

Our plan was simple, yet effective. We used standard pile extensions to lengthen our reach from the barge. Two crew members on the barge would load the extensions onto the helical piles. Two other Conte workers worked off a small floating dock where they could jump into the shallow waters, close to shore, and bolt the ends of the shaft extensions onto each helical pile as it was drilled into the wall.

At Conte Company we are team players and will to jump through hoops, or off barges, to get the job done right!

Ask us what we can do for your next foundation job

A few weeks later the job was done! Our men dried themselves off, the barge was floated out of Charles Cove and the residents began to stroll the walkways again. The customer, in this case, the condo’s board of directors, was confident that the bulkhead repair was completed according to the highest standards, as it passed all required inspections. Their residents were safe to once again stroll the walkways along Charles Cove and watch the sunsets —which are absolutely gorgeous over the waters of historic Norwalk, CT.

An aerial view of the Charles Cove boardwalk where our bulkhead repair project took place

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