Micropile Benefits and Application December 16, 2009

Micropile applications afford commercial construction firms the ability to establish, or re-establish, structural integrity in building foundations.

In a typical commercial project a geotechnical engineer will perform an analysis on the surface and sub-surface of a job site to determine the site composite and recommend materials and processes that will result in the erection of a sound structure. These engineers are highly concerned with soil, rock (including bedrock properties), fault distribution, and a multitude of other elements that will determine how a structure will interact with the existing environment. They are responsible for designing the type of foundation that will be used as a result of their study.

Once a design is approved, a project plan is established which takes into consideration the surrounding site environment. If piles are required to establish a sound foundation, decisions are required to select the most effective piling application. As is often the case, new structures are created on the site of razed buildings from generations’ past. The process may include extracting piles that were necessary during the construction of the previous foundation.

Additional variables may be present in the new project plan that were not present when the previous structure was created. Heavily populated cities often have limited space available for construction equipment on adjacent lots. The erection of cranes to execute the driving of piles using a vibratory pile driver may not be permissible. Diesel hammer pile drivers may also not be welcomed in a densely populated commercial area due to the noise that is created during the process.

Micropiling offers a substantial benefit to both construction firm and client in difficult situations. Hydraulic crawler mounted drill rigs provide a viable alternative to the massive machines utilized for traditional piling applications. Although these machines are smaller and able to access areas that would not be possible with larger piling machines, the rigs weigh tens of thousands of pounds and their ability to generate torque required for drilling through bedrock is quite amazing.

These smaller piling applications are commonly used to establish new support where an existing foundation is failing, or to provide additional support when a structure is being renovated. The versatility of the machinery permits it to operate where previously there was not an economical alternative. Also, due to its minimal impact on its surroundings, micropile machinery is a welcomed solution on environmentally sensitive projects.

International Construction Equipment (ICE) is located in Matthews, NC and has been manufacturing premiere construction equipment for over 25 years. Their product line includes a variety of top of the line pile driving equipment including drill rigs especially designed for micropile applicatio
 

 

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