Helical Piles & Anchors Design Guide
For the vast majority of consulting engineers, helical piles and anchors will never be an everyday, every week, every month, or even a yearly design and application task. Many engineers—though they may learn about helical foundations at a seminar or by use on a specific project—are either reluctant to use them again, do a poor job of designing with them or are willing to “leave it up to the specialty contractor or manufacturer”.
This is primarily due to the fact that the information they've learned either did not relate to them in a practical manner or was not needed again for an extended period, requiring a complete “relearning process”. The intent of this guideline is to shorten that process so engineers can effectively and efficiently design with helical piles and anchors and can be profitable while adding value for clients.
This guide will attempt to bring the selection and procurement of helical piles and anchors into a more practical point of view. It will not delve deep into academic theory but will present the writer’s own experiences and solutions to problems involving helical piles and anchors. It's our intent that this information will help engineers effectively solve some of the same problems on projects they are involved with.
There are many design specifics and problems that are beyond the scope of this guideline. In such cases, the writer has found it prudent to seek the advice of a trusted product manufacturer or local distributor/representative for consultation.
Included in the Helical Pile Design Guide:
- Design Requirements
- What to Include in Construction Documents
- 7 Helical Pile/ Pier Design Examples
About the Author:
Cary Hannon is the current Vice President of Engineering at Foundation Technologies, Inc. and holds a BCE from Georgia Institute of Technology. Cary previously spent 14 years as a civil/site consultant working in all sectors of the construction industry. Over the last 14 years, Cary has provided Engineers and Contractors throughout the Southeastern U.S. with technical design and application assistance of helical piles and anchors. Cary has developed and presented over 100 courses covering a wide range of topics associated with the design and construction of helical piles and anchors.