Commercial Foundation Repair

Commercial Foundation Support Solutions

When you’re looking for quality and long-lasting foundation support, you can depend on Alpha Foundations. As a Groundworks contractor, we offer an array of foundation products to not only help fix existing structures but also provide comprehensive solutions for new construction projects.

These include:

• Helical piles/helix piers
• Helical/tieback anchors
• Push pier/underpinning systems
• Soil nails

Our innovative solutions are designed and rigorously tested according to all applicable standards. Once they’ve been professionally installed by our team, you can expect our solutions to be long-lasting and perform at superior levels.

Helical Anchors

Helical Anchors (also referred to as tiebacks) provide lateral stability to foundation walls and retaining walls with unbalanced earth pressures. Helical anchors can be installed with hand-held equipment, mini-excavators, skid steers, backhoes, track hoes, or crane-supported rigs so the anchors can be installed in almost any application. This versatility, along with the ability to immediately load and test the anchors, make helicals a convenient and economical solution for a wide variety of projects.

ADVANTAGES

• Predictable capacity
• Helix blade configuration selected to achieve design embedment and capacity
• All-weather installation
• Can be installed in areas of limited or tight access
• Installation does not generate spoils
• Clean installation with no messy grout
• Load tests can be performed immediately following installation
• Available with optional hot-dip galvanizing for added corrosion protection

Helical anchors are a factory-manufactured steel foundation system consisting of a central shaft with one or more helix-shaped bearing plates, commonly referred to as blades, welded to the lead section. Extension shafts, with or without additional helix plates, are used to extend the anchor into competent load-bearing soils. Helical anchors are advanced (“screwed”) into the ground with the application of torque.

The terms helical piles, screw piles, helical piers, helical anchors, helix piers, and helix anchors are often used interchangeably by specifiers. However, the term “pier” more often refers to a helical foundation system loaded in axial compression, while the term “anchor” more often refers to a helical foundation system loaded in axial tension.

Helix Blade Geometry

Groundworks’ helical anchors feature blades manufactured with a true helix shape conforming to the geometry criteria of ICC-ES AC358. The leading and trailing edges of true helix blades are within a one-quarter inch of parallel to each other and any radial measurement across the blade is perpendicular to the anchor shaft. A true helix shape along with proper alignment and spacing of the blades is critical to minimize soil disturbance during installation.

Conversely, blades that are not a true helix shape are often formed to a ‘duckbill’ appearance. These plates create a great deal of soil disturbance and do not conform to the helix geometry requirements of ICC-ES AC358 since their torque to capacity relationships are not well documented.

Commercial Push Piers

The Groundworks Push Pier System utilizes high-strength round steel tubes and a load transfer bracket (retrofit foundation repair bracket) to stabilize and/or lift sinking or settling foundations. The foundation bracket is secured against the existing footing and pier sections are driven hydraulically through the foundation bracket and into the soil below using the combined structural weight and any contributory soil load as resistance. Pier sections are continuously driven until a suitable load-bearing stratum is encountered. At that point, the structure either begins to lift or the target pressure/load is achieved. The weight of the structure is then transferred from the unstable soil to the foundation brackets, through the piers, and to firm load-bearing soil or bedrock.

Our Push Pier System develops a factor of safety against pier settlement by the pier installation methods used and the sequence with which multiple piers are driven and then re-loaded. Piers are first driven individually using the maximum weight of the structure and any contributory soil load. After all of the piers are driven, the piers are re-loaded simultaneously, and the total reaction load is distributed over the multiple pier locations. Since the average load on each pier during the load transfer operation is less than the load during pier installation/driving, a factor of safety against settlement is achieved. Typical factors of safety against pier settlement range from about 1.5 to 3.0, with higher values, generally achieved for structures with greater rigidity. These factors of safety conservatively ignore any additional long-term frictional component to the pier’s capacity (see below for more information).

Design Considerations

Push piers are installed directly adjacent to the existing structure utilizing side-load brackets. This introduces eccentricity into the system. Our Push Pier System incorporates an external sleeve at the top of the pier to aid in resisting the bending forces generated by this loading condition. This helps preserve the axial compressive capacity of the pier shaft. The external sleeve extends through and below the foundation bracket to essentially create a bracket that is 48 inches tall.

The moment or bending force is localized within a relatively short distance below the bracket. Although the bending force is dissipated quickly by the pier bearing against the confining soil, it is significant and cannot be ignored. The depth or length of sleeve and pier over which the bending force dissipates is a function of the soil stiffness near the surface. The depth is greater in soft clay and loose sand, and less in stiff clay and dense sand. In soft or loose soils, a small portion of the bending force may be transferred to the pier below the sleeve, thereby reducing the pier’s allowable axial compressive capacity. A modified, lower capacity system is also available with a shorter, 30-inch long sleeve for low headroom applications.

Friction Reducing Collar

The first pier section advanced into the ground includes a larger-diameter “friction reducing collar” welded to the lead end. This collar, being larger in diameter than the pier tube, effectively creates annular space around the pier as it is advanced through most clayey soils. In soft clay or clean sand and gravel, an annular space may only temporarily be created. However, the larger diameter collar causes soil disturbance or remolding to occur, which also significantly reduces frictional resistance on the outside surface of the pier during driving. The result is a driven pier that generates most of its capacity in end bearing. Over time, the soils surrounding the pier relax back into the annular space and against the pier shaft. This provides an additional frictional component to the pier’s capacity. Even though this frictional capacity may be significant, it is conservatively ignored in the determination of the pier’s factor of safety against pier settlement.

Warning Signs of Foundation Problems

While we offer a large variety of services, we understand that it can be difficult for building owners to know what service they need, let alone even knowing whether or not you have a foundation issue in the first place. The following list includes signs to look out for, and if you notice any of these, you’ll likely need foundation repairs.

Interior warning signs:

• Floors are uneven or sloping.
• Cracks are showing on the floor or wall.
• Walls are bowing inward.
• Floors over the crawl space are sagging.
• Windows and doors are hard to open.

Exterior warning signs:

• The chimney is tilting.
• Exterior walls have cracks.
• There are street creeps.

At Alpha Foundations, we leave no stone unturned when conducting thorough inspections to ensure that no foundational problems fall under the radar.

Choose Alpha Foundations for Commercial Foundation Services

We’ve been providing exceptional commercial foundation services throughout Florida and Georgia since 2002, delivering only the best. But don’t take our word on it. Feel free to check out the awards we’ve been given for our services, business ethics, and quality assurance. We are also happy to offer financing options so that money is never a barrier to getting the commercial foundation services you need. 

Never worry again about the foundation of your commercial building with Alpha Foundations! Contact us today to schedule your free quote.

Find your service area

Fort Myers, FL

Fort Myers is known for its beaches, but it also experiences a lot of rain and moisture. This can be a problem for your foundation.

Gainesville, FL

Gainesville tends to be wet all year round. This can cause serious problems for your crawl space. Read on for solutions.

Panama City, FL

Panama City is close to the gulf. Its sandy soil can be weakened by high moisture, and your foundation is at risk.

Pensacola, FL

Being a coastal city in Florida, Pensacola tends to experience humid weather and rainy summers. Heavy moisture can cause foundation damage. Here’s what you can do.

Tallahassee, FL

Tallahassee experiences long humid summers, and short chilly winters – both of which can impact your foundation. Here’s how to prevent damage.

Tampa, FL

Residents of Tampa know that it can sometimes be a stormy place. When it’s not raining, it can be quite humid. Either way, your foundation is at risk – here’s how to protect it.

Valdosta, GA

Valdosta has sandy soil and high moisture year-round. This combination can damage your foundation.

West Palm Beach, FL

West Palm Beach is hot but beautifully sunny. However, it also rains quite a bit, and this causes issues for your foundation.

Miami, FL

Miami’s tropical climate make it a popular vacation hub. But the sandy soils and humid air can cause some problems for your foundation. Here’s what you can do.

Jacksonville, FL

Like much of Florida, Jacksonville is often hot and humid. Your foundation is at risk.

Orlando, FL

Orlando has sandy soil and humid air. This combination may call for foundation repair.