Screw Piles
Screw piles are manufactured steel foundations that are rotated into the ground and generally consist of one or more circular, helix-shaped plates fixed to a central shaft. The plates are shaped as a helix with a carefully selected pitch to allow the pile to be screwed into the ground with minimal soil disturbance. Also referred to as helical piles, screw anchors, or helical anchors; screw piles have several advantages.
Can accommodate compression, tension, and lateral loads
Can be installed at virtually any angle
Can be install with relatively small equipment with superior maneuverability to that of pile-driving and pier-drilling rigs
Easily removable
When applied and designed appropriately, screw piles are practical, versatile, innovative, and economical deep foundations. Screw piles are an excellent addition to the variety of deep foundation alternatives available to the engineer. The capacity of a screw pile in any given soil depends on the type of loading, the frequency of loading, the installation depth, the number of helixes, the helix and shaft diameters, the soil type, and the soil strength and compressibility.
