John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, one of the United States oldest wildlife refuge centers, was in need of a new bunk house for intern park rangers. Due to environmental sensitivity, they needed a minimally invasive foundation system that didn’t use concrete and could be installed with minimally invasive equipment. Helical Piles were chosen since they alleviated all the concerns listed above.
Project Summary:
- Helical Pile Type: 3.5″ (.300 wall) pipe piles for vertical foundation piles. 1.5″ Square Shaft for battered piles and tie-downs
- # of Helical Piles: 101 vertical compression piles and 14 battered Piles
- Location: Philadelphia, PA
- Installation Depth: 15′-25′
- Ultimate Pile Capacity: 40 KIPS for all Piles
- Equipment Used: Mini Excavator, 10K Drive Head
- Challenge/Unique Aspect: A major challenge in this project was that the building was going to sit three feet above grade.This was necessary so that flood water could travel through the wetland and under the structure. Pile location had to be pinpoint accurate. The skilled DANBRO installer was able to meet these stringent requirements and install the piles to precise specifications.
- Engineer/Architect: Gencorelli Engineering
- General Contractor: B&N Construction
- Certified Danbro Installer: Vaspoli Builders Inc.
