Log Cabins on Sustainable Ground Screw Foundations, Cairngorms
As part of a multiphase project, we carried out site surveys and load testing to prove the viability of ground screws and screw piles in the mature woodland, completing the installation for this project’s first and second phases.
Client:
Private
Location:
Cairngorms, Scotland
Project:
Foundations for Holiday Lodges
Sector:
Leisure & Tourism
Overview
A turnkey foundation solution with minimal impact.
Situated within mature woodland in the Cairngorms National Park, all work needed to be completed while protecting the natural landscape, with the use of heavy plant machinery strictly prohibited.
Access to each installation site was significantly restricted, with varying ground levels and conditions requiring an imaginative and versatile approach to ensure robust foundations for each log cabin.
Installation for the first phase of log cabins was to be completed in November/December 2019, while weather conditions in the Cairngorms can be the biggest challenge.
Solution
Low-impact foundations in Cairngorms National Park
Site Survey & Load-Testing
Working on-site with project engineers, we completed a site survey and ground screw load testing to determine the specification of ground screws we needed for the foundations for a log cabin. After liaising with architects, we confirmed layouts and designs for the project’s first phase for six log cabins.
Base System Design
After successfully installing ground screws, surveys on each site determined the remaining levels needed to be brought up over the sloping and uneven ground. Individual extensions were fabricated, returning to the site for final installation and providing each log cabin with a secure and level base.
Ground Screw Installation
Working carefully around the mature woodland and deploying our electric-powered turning machines, the installation of RADIX PRO RF140 76mm Ground Screws for phase one’s six log cabins was completed on schedule. The second phase of this project was completed two years later, in December 2021, for a further six log cabins.
Phase One: Supply and installation of 132 no. RADIX PRO RF140 76mm Ground Screws with bespoke extensions
Phase Two: Supply and installation of 132 no. RADIX PRO RF140 76mm Ground Screws with bespoke extensions
