All About Helical Piles For Battery Storage Units

The first thing you need to know about helical piles is that, despite a common misconception, they are not a foundation that's only suitable for light loads. We don't know where that idea came from, but it's completely untrue.
Helical piles, also known as screw piles, are a deep foundation technology that offers an alternative to typical concrete or driven pile solutions. At the core, a helical pile consists of two key elements:
● A central steel shaft made from round pipe or solid square bar● One (or more) helical-shaped plates welded along the shaft
These plates have two key jobs:
1: Allow the pile to be installed by smoothly rotating into the ground (kind of like a giant screw)
2: Deliver enormous bearing capacity by using surrounding soil pressure to anchor it in-place

How is a Helical Pile for Energy Storage Installed?

Installing a helical pile foundation is a straightforward and simple process. Although each specific project might have variations in what this process looks like, it generally goes something like this:

1: Design the Foundation

This first step is the most important one for your project - devising a solid and efficient design for your foundation. Thanks to the fact there's a wide range of helical pile sizes and configurations available, we're able to precisely adjust it to match your exact needs. No 'one size fits all' solutions here!
By assessing key factors like structural loads and soil conditions, we're able to fine-tune the helical piles so you're not paying for more (or getting less) than required.

2: Mobilize to Site

With a concrete foundation, it's going to require the mobilization of heavy equipment and plenty of raw materials to your site. From accommodating staging areas to scheduling lines of concrete trucks, this phase can bring delays and frustrations.
Helical piles, conversely, require a fraction of the machines or materials. Installation is done using standard excavators, the piles stack nicely on a trailer (while taking little space on-site), and you don't have to worry about line of concrete trucks.

3: Install Helical Piles

In all honesty, actually installing a helical pile can be a bit anticlimactic because it's so darn easy. A pile is first secured to an anchor drive which is attached to the excavator. After careful positioning, we apply rotational force and downward crowd to "spin" the pile into the ground at a constant rate.
If a pile needs to go deeper, we can quickly add extensions and continue the installation. Repeat until all the piles are firmly in place!

Unlocking Real-Time Quality Control With Helical Piles

One of the aspects about installing a helical pile that really sets it apart from other foundation solutions comes down to torque.
Specifically, the way we can use torque to perform real-time quality control on each and every pile.
Since we're applying rotational force to a helical pile during installation, we can read those forces as torque.
Using torque-to-capacity calculations that have been devised and proven by researchers, we can gain information about a pile's expected load capacity and performance. In essence, by monitoring installation torque, we can directly correlate it to the number of pounds (kips) each pile should be able to hold.

Why Reading Helical Pile Torque Makes for a Better BESS Foundation

Let's illustrate the power of the torque-to-capacity calculation with an example.
Imagine the geotech report for your site indicates dense clay at a depth of 20 feet. Based on that information, we calculate each pile will need to achieve at least 8,000 ft-lbs of torque in order to meet the required load capacity.
But, during installation, we find the soils at 20 feet are in fact not dense clay but some weaker material.
Thanks to the fact we're constantly reading torque, we'll know instantly that those piles will need to go deeper in order to reach stronger soils. So, we add extensions and sink the piles to 30 feet - where we ultimately reach the correct torque.
This turns what could have been a major delay into nothing more than a brief blip. It gives you confidence in the performance of your foundation and prevents frustrating setbacks when unexpected soil conditions appear.

How Do Helical Piles Compare to Concrete for BESS?

Okay, you might be thinking this sounds pretty good so far, but how do helical piles compare to concrete? After all, concrete has been the foundation solution for battery storage units for years - why even make the switch to helical piles?
Let's see how the two foundation options stack-up against each other on some key points...

1. Site Preparation & Install

2. Installation Time

3. Performance

4. Strength & Durability

5. Overall Economy

6. Environmental Impact

So, what's the verdict?

First, it's important to note that concrete isn't a "bad' option. We're not out to attack it - but we do think it's important to be honest about its shortcomings.

Concrete is a great building material, but is it the best foundation material for energy storage units?

Helical piles offer a quick, efficient, and environmentally friendly foundation solution. Yes, the initial cost may be higher than concrete. But considering the time saved and long-term performance, they're often a more economical choice overall.

Besides, if you're already spending money on BESS units, adding a little more budget for the foundation ensures your investment is protected for decades to come.

Why Use A Helical Foundation for Energy Storage?

Conclusion

The energy storage industry has seen massive growth in the United States, and it shows no signs of changing anytime soon.

Helical pile foundations are transforming how energy storage is built in the United States. In many areas it's becoming the default foundation choice for new projects thanks to its speed, strength, and ease of use.

Concrete will always have its place in construction. But, as a foundation for energy storage applications, we believe helical piles offer clear advantages. Not the least of which is their ability to help you build sooner, minimize your environmental footprint, and enjoy the confidence of lasting performance.

Want to learn more about helical piles and see if they're a good fit for your project? Our team at CDP Excavating is here to help!

We're happy to offer insights into the technology, answer your questions, and provide an estimate for your project.

(No clingy salespeople or endless "just checking in" phone calls!)

Get in touch today and let's find out if a helical foundation is the solid solution for your battery energy storage project.

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