One of our installers is installing helicals for new construction, underpinning, foundation repair or tiebacks/tiedowns virtually every day of the year. This would be true of most helical installers as these are the most common uses for screw piles. Walkway installations, on the other hand, are much less frequent, but almost always more challenging than other helical installations. Due to our longevity/experience (pushing 30 years) and the nature of our territory (coastal, lots of wetlands), no distributor has been involved in more walkway projects than Danbro. Our background gives us a unique perspective on the factors favoring the use of helicals for this application, some of the challenges typically encountered, and how our installers have responded over the years to overcome them.
The driving force for using helicals to support boardwalks, pedestrian bridges, and walkways is environmental sensitivity. However, many of the usual suspects are also at play: mobilization mitigation (requiring small, low-impact equipment), difficult access (remote locations), in addition to strict environmental regulations. The rules change from one state DEP to another state’s DEP and local Municipalities, Environmental Commissions, Conservation groups, or private owners all get their say. The following are a series of case studies illustrating how our installers have responded to these challenges and why helicals are so well-suited for Walkways.
Access is frequently a driving force in the decision to go with helicals, but with walkways, it is almost always an issue. Our installers have worked on islands, only accessible by ferry. This was the case with Pea Patch Island in the middle of the Delaware River. The park featured a rookery for herons, egrets, and other waterfowl. The walkway and observation deck provide access for viewing the birds in their natural habitat.
Fort Delaware State Park Walkway – Danbro Distributors
Marine environments always pose logistical problems. Some jobs have required installation working from a barge with no land access permitted or possible.
Sandy Bottom Pedestrian Bridges – Danbro Distributors
WMCA Catwalk Replacement – Danbro Distributors
In some instances, access was so limited that all work had to be done with portable, hand-held equipment, the ultimate mobilization mitigation tactic. This was the case for the Gunstock Mountain Resort in Guilford, NH.
Gun Stock Mountain Resort – Danbro Distributors
This was also true for a public job for the Application Trail Conservancy.
Appalachian Trail Walkway – Danbro Distributors.
In Noth Carolina, it was a Boy Scout Camp in a remote wooded area with no access for traditional installation equipment. Environmental sensitivity drove the decision to use helicals on all three of these projects, but hand-held portable equipment made them possible.
Cashiers North Carolina Hand Held Walkway Project – Danbro Distributors
Public jobs in wetlands and other marine habitats add strict environmental regulations to the list of complications in addition to mobilization and access. In truth, all of our walkway projects come with more or less restrictions. The following projects fall into this category where local, state, or federal regulators dictated how these projects could proceed and under what circumstances.
Sandwich Boardwalk Reconstruction – Danbro Distributors
Marsh Discovery Trail Walkway – Danbro Distributors
Asbury Park Boardwalk – Danbro Distributors
Virtually every challenge that can be encountered on a helical installation can be found on our Walkway, Boardwalk or Pedestrian bridge jobs. Hats off to our undaunted installers who persevered, and, like Julius Cesar answered the call: “Veni, Vidi, Vici”: I came, I saw, I conquered!
For more walkway case histories, visit Case Studies – Danbro Distributors.
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