Residential Renovation Project

Challenge

A large residence on the shore of Lake St. Clair in Southwestern Ontario was built in 2005. in 2010, the homeowners decided to build an addition on the back side of the structure to enhance their view of the lake. After a geotechnical investigation was completed by GS Engineering Consultants, it was determined that due to the soil profile and the close proximity of the existing structure to the lake, a deep foundation system would be required to support the new foundation in order to prevent it from settling in the future.

Solution

GS Engineering Consultants specified five (5) helical piles to be installed within the grade beam of the addition to transfer the load of the structure to stable soils approximately 10 to 20 feet below grade. Helical piles offered several advantages for this project, including the use of small installation equipment in areas with limited access, quick installation time and low cost compared to other alternatives. The helical pile configuration consisted of a 2-7/8-inch outside diameter round shaft with a 10"-12"-14" triple-helix lead section. The helical piles were installed to depths that ranged from 10 to 20 feet to support the design working load of 18 kips. The installation of five (5) helical piles took only one (1) day to complete and the project was able to continue on schedule.

Project Summary

Engineering Firm: GS Engineering Consultants

General Contracter : Towsley Construction