Overcoming challenging terrain and soft ground with helical screw piles

Screw piles make building in inaccessible areas possible

Due to the extensive excavations and groundwork for pouring a carbon-heavy concrete base or the heavy machinery required for traditional pile foundations, building on remote and challenging locations is often ruled out entirely or, at the very least, faces logistical nightmares.

RADIX Extendable Screw Piles, however, are installed with lighter and more agile screw pile installation machines that do not require heavy excavations, extensive piling mats, or the removal of spoils from sites.

This reduction in groundwork not only saves significant time. Truck movements are cut by as much as two-thirds, saving substantial costs and minimising the environmental impact on projects.

The challenges and risks of building on soft ground

Building on areas of soft ground with an inadequate base can have disastrous consequences, leading to shifting foundations, compromised structures, and costly repairs.

These locations are also often difficult to access, with the ground providing little to no support for the machinery required to excavate or install traditional foundations.

Thankfully, the installation of RADIX Extendable Screw Piles is possible with our range of powerful and portable machinery, capable of driving each screw pile to the depths to achieve the load-bearing capacities required for all scales of projects in sectors including leisure and tourism, transport and infrastructure, and renewable energy and battery storage projects.

Our screw piles support projects in remote and off-grid across the UK, including in nature reserves such as the Paxton Pitts Nature Reserve and Cairngorms National Park.

How screw piles work to support projects in difficult and soft terrain

Screw piles, also known as helical piles, are an efficient and low-carbon foundation system providing exceptional stability and load-bearing capacities.

Each screw pile consists of a steel shaft with helical plates attached and is driven into the ground to reach a solid stratum, with their continuous helix generating greater friction underground than traditional piles. A single screw pile can offer a safe load-bearing capacity exceeding 75kN (FOS2) in suitable ground, as well as offer significant support against horizontal and uplift forces upwards of 45kN.

RADIX Extendable Screw Piles offer robust foundations in various soil types, including clay, sand, and even permafrost. The ability to complete installation all year round and in weather further removes the risk of costly project delays and compromising the quality of project foundations.

Whether residential, commercial, industrial, or infrastructure development, our screw pile foundation solutions provide a reliable foundation.