A helical anchor/pile is a segmented deep foundation system with helical bearing plates welded to a central steel shaft. Once installed, the load is transferred from the supported structure, down the shaft to the soil through the helical bearing plates. The central steel shafts can be comprised of a square shaft or a round shaft.
There are two important things to look for when installing helical anchors:
- The helical anchor should achieve the minimum required depth specified by an engineer.
- The helical anchor should achieve the minimum required torque specified by the engineer.
Achieving the required depth is important in regards to having the structure anchored and supported in the same layer of soils to guard against differential movement between different anchors. While achieving the minimum required torque, is a way to verify the helical anchor can hold the potential load from the supported structure.
