Deep foundation piers are useful in most areas of Michigan. but aren’t there any soils that are totally stable? One could say a tentative yes. but Michigan soils are so varied and each soil type can take on so many consistencies that every site requires a specific test and/or evaluation.
Michigan’s soil strata are deeply affected by their history. during the ice age, ice flowed ground rock into various soil categories and push them all around. The topography was left with many lake and low lands along with rolling hills and sand dunes. Rain, weather, and soils were ideal for tree and vegetation growth. As the years passed, trees and vegetation turned to organic soils. Lakes filled in. Swamps, lowlands, and wet lands created unique characteristics. Floods carried soils down stream and laid its sediment.
At the same time, shifting sand dunes lined Lake Michigan. In between these extremes are the rolling hills, forests, farm land, and so on.
Each type of resulting soil from sand to loam to clay to marl and muck have varying characteristics: soft to hard, loose to dense, well graded to poorly graded. Loose and soft soils do not support foundations well. Clay soils hold water that can freeze and heave and push basement walls. Reverse grades can run water toward structures. This means every site can have endless specific characteristics and remediation requirements.
The ability to address such a wide array of challenges with soils is one of the biggest advantages of steel deep foundations. The term “steel foundation” or “deep foundation” specifically refers to pre-construction underpinning or foundation repair with helical and push piers. these piers offer great flexibility to be designed to the soils, load requirements, and access challenges. because they’re vibration free, installing these piers doesn’t damage neighboring structures. They’re quickly installed, ready to use, easy to calculate capacity, and many times, the only rational answer to a settlement situation.
One pier type is particularly effective in this type of soil condition. these are referred to as “helical” piers or sometimes “screw” piles, and do not require the resistance of an existing structure. They can be installed directly into soils, since they’re designed with one or more helix-shaped “flights” (metal plates) welded to a steel shaft. This allows installation using torque rather than resistance. these piers are necessary in pre-construction applications, and are sometimes preferred in foundation repairs. On the other hand, “push” piers are driven hydraulically and utilize the resistance of an existing structure as counterweight. Either pier type is optimal for installation to effectively underpin or repair a foundation.
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