Overview
One feature of helical piles is that their capacity can be estimated during installation. The torque needed to rotate a pile into the soil is commonly correlated with its load capacity, and installers record torque as each pile goes in.
For some projects, especially larger or engineered ones, a load test is performed on one or more piles. In a load test, a pile is loaded incrementally while its movement is measured, confirming how it performs in the actual soil.
Records of depth, torque and any testing give engineers, inspectors and owners documentation of what was installed and how it is expected to perform.
How it typically works
- Monitoring and recording torque during installation.
- Recording depth and pile configuration for each location.
- Performing load tests where specified.
- Reporting results to the engineer and inspector.
- Providing records to the owner.
What affects the outcome
- Engineers decide whether load tests are needed.
- Installation records are useful documentation for future owners.
- Equipment calibration matters for accurate torque readings.
- Soil variation can cause piles to reach target torque at different depths.
- Ask who reviews and approves the records.
Local notes for Denver
Parts of Colorado's Front Range are known for expansive clay soils and claystone bedrock that swell when wet and shrink as they dry. That movement can affect foundations, basement slabs, driveways and sidewalks, and it is one reason many local homes are built with deep foundations or floating basement slabs.
Front Range weather brings freeze-thaw cycles, spring snowmelt and summer storms. Keeping water away from the foundation with working gutters, extended downspouts, grading that slopes away from the house and careful irrigation near the foundation is a common first step before or alongside any repair.
We take inquiries from Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, Littleton, Arvada, Westminster.
How to prepare your inquiry
- Note where gutters and downspouts discharge and whether irrigation runs near the house.
- Describe whether water shows up in the basement, crawl space or against the foundation, and when.
- Take photos of cracks, gaps, sloping floors or sunken slabs, with a tape measure or coin in frame for scale.
- Say whether you are buying or selling the home, since timelines may matter.
- Have any inspection or engineer reports handy, such as from a home purchase.
When to keep looking
- Unwillingness to explain the cause of the problem before recommending repairs.
- Recommending major structural repairs without looking at drainage and grading.
- No written proposal describing the scope, materials and number of piers or supports.
- Pressure to sign the same day, or claims that a discount disappears if you wait.
- Refusal to let you get a second opinion or an engineer's review.
How to vet a provider
- How will capacity be verified for my project?
- Is your torque equipment calibrated?
- What happens if a pile does not reach target torque?
- Who receives the installation records?
- Is a load test planned, and who decides?
Quick answers
- What is installation torque?
- The rotational force needed to install the pile. It is commonly used to estimate capacity.
- What if a pile reaches target torque at a shallow depth?
- Engineers often set minimum depth requirements in addition to torque targets.
- Should I keep the installation records?
- Yes. They document the foundation and can help in a future sale.
Related topics
- Helical Piers: How helical piers work, where they are used in foundation repair, and what to ask before installation.
- Push Piers vs. Helical Piers: Comparing push piers and helical piers for foundation repair, and how contractors decide between them.
- Expansive Soils and Foundations: How expansive soils affect foundations on Colorado's Front Range, and approaches to reduce movement.
Tell us a little about what you need, and we'll get back to you about helical pile load testing.