MAIN MENU       About Us Inspection Request Contact Information Glossary Careers at Avalon  FOUNDATIONS  Deep Foundations Helical Piles and Helical Tiebacks For Enginners: Typical Helical Specifications Drilled Piers Liquefaction Solved   FOUNDATION REPAIR   Underpinning Horizontal Cracks Foundation Replacement Resistive Piers Underpinning Done Right   COMMERCIAL PROJECTS   Mega Foundations with Helical Piles Solar Panel Arrays with Ground Screws Pipeline Anchors Bridge Abutments Post-tensioned Concrete More Commercial Projects   RETAINING WALLS   Retaining Wall Basics Retaining Wall Fortification Solving Limited Access Using EPS Blocks Using W-beams  EXCAVATION  & GRADING Excavation & Drilling Grading   SPECIAL HILLSIDE   ISSUES Road Washout Repair Road Fortification Hillside Stabilization Challenging Hillside Additions & Patios Landslide Repair Impact Walls   OTHER PROJECTS   Avalon Supports the Famous Rockettes		HELICAL PILES For basic information on helical piles, please see our glossary entry on helical piles. These are typical helical piles for residential deep foundations. The pile on the left is a 2 7/8" diameter round-shaft helical pile with a single 10" helical plate. Such a pile is generally used to support the vertical loads of a residential foundation. The pile on the right is a 1 1/2" wide square-shaft helical pile generally used as an anchor or tieback to support lateral loads, such as for retaining walls or guy-wires. This is a 5 1/2" diameter round-shaft helical pier. Our pier sizes generally range from 1 1/2" square-shaft tiebacks to 5 1/2" round-shaft piles. Where stout columns are needed, we install 5 1/2" helical piers, available in a variety of configurations. Even larger piers are also available, and we are fully equiped to install them as the need arises. For hillside foundations, square-shaft helical piers installed diagonally are the perfect complement to round-shaft helical piers installed vertically. This system of pile (vertical) supplemented by tieback (diagonal) is often more cost-effective than conventional drilled piers. With knowledge and experience, helical piers can be installed in very tight spaces, such as directly through the floor of a closet. Avalon uses a portable rig connected with a long hose to a hydraulic source to drive the piers deep into the ground. We have acheived up to a 35,000 lb capacity with one pier in this fashion. Helical members are an excellent tool for road repair. Helical piers create the perfect foundation for an equipment platform because they can be installed and loaded immediately, without the need for concrete to cure. Avalon has installed helical piles, rather than drilled piers, to minimize damage to tree roots as required by the City of Santa Cruz. Avalon installed both helical piles and tiebacks at a water treatment plant in northern California. Engineer: Bob Patterson, Patterson & Associates Avalon has been installing helical piles for decades, as this older picture shows. We continue to evolve and vigilantly keep apace of the latest technologies and equipment in helical installation. Avalon Structural, Inc. 181 Ridgeview Drive Aptos, CA 95003 (831) 479-4389 (office) info@avalonstructural.com Copyright © 2015 Avalon Structural, Inc. All Rights Reserved CA License 677116 Classifications:  B, C-8 Avalon is a general building contracting firm and does not employ engineers.