Helical Piles: Ideal for Long Island’s Boggy Soil

By High Rise Industries

According to the Newsday article, For South Shore homeowners, unstable soil adds to challenge of rebuilding, from April 28, 2013, architects, engineers, and geologists all agree that the quality of the soil “is a vital consideration [when] raising or replacing a home.”  As a result of Superstorm Sandy, many Long Island homeowners with homes on the bays and canals on the South Shore of Nassau and Suffolk counties are learning that too.  The land their homes are built on may not be as solid as they thought.

Beneath the surface is boggy material, “a spongy type of soil resembling compost” [Winslow, Olivia. “For South Shore homeowners, unstable soil adds to challenge of rebuilding.” Newsday 28 April 2013].  According to the article, it is often found on the South Shore of Long Island where many summer bungalows were built in the 1920s and 1930s.  Many of these summer retreats are now year-round residences and have built extensions both out and up.  In addition, some housing developments that were built in the housing boom of the 1950s were built on filled-in marshland.  The marshland had been filled in with sand that was “dredged up during [the] construction of [the] canals.”

Unstable soil “can undermine a structure’s foundation.”  A soil boring test must first be conducted to establish the kind of material under a house.  Those with houses anywhere near the water on the South Shore should have their soil tested before starting any reconstruction work.

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Helical Piles are a perfect solution for Sandy-damaged homes and the foundation-support problems posed by bog and fill.  The bog and filled areas have a very low load capability, necessitating the use of a deep foundation system.

One of our recent projects in Hampton Bays, Long Island, NY, a high water table environment, exemplified how helical piles can be utilized to stabilize a foundation under the worst soil conditions.  A soil boring test revealed that the first eleven feet of soil consisted of non-load bearing soil only.  During high tide, water would seep into the excavated area.  Silvio and Danny Rebelo, owners of High Rise Industries, installed thirty-five helical piles under the home.  This ensures that, in future storms, the home will be high and dry.  Check out the videos below to learn more about this project.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9K7-UNhj98&w=480&h=360]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW-ZMbZw_Cw&w=560&h=315]
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As a family owned and operated concrete and excavation company, High Rise Industries is committed to helping the people of Long Island rebuild after Superstorm Sandy.  To contact High Rise Industries, call (516) 315-8591, email info@highriseindustriesny.com, or submit a contact request form.