Our UK certified and trained installers of the CHANCE helical piling system carry out many load test each month to verify actual pile bearing capacity. Load testing of helical piles is the best method of determining the capacity of the pile foundation design. The results of the load test can be used to verify design assumptions. Load tests can be performed at different stages of design and construction as seen in the attached photo a load test was carried out in the design stage on a large project consisting of 220 CHANCE piles in Chichester on the South coast of England. Load testing during the design of a potential project can verify pile capacity and can be used to develop the most efficient and cost-effective design. Common types of load tests employed are static axial load test (compression and tension) and static lateral load test.
Our certified installers are often asked if load testing is worth the effort The answer is YES! Particularly with the CHANCE pull down grouted micropile as the holding capacity of the grouted friction column as well as the end bearing helices are very important. Installing and setting up load tests in UK ground conditions requires special attention to details and every one of our certified network of installers has undergone specific training for this. For instance, test apparatus, especially deflection monitoring equipment, needs to be set up such that no external factors to the pile itself (i.e. load beam surrounding ground movement etc.) will cause readings to be compromised.
One big advantage to load testing CHANCE deep foundations during the design stage is that it allows time to analyze the data to make a foundation design more efficient. If you’re interested in finding out if a load test can save you time or money on your project, give us a call
