Helical Anchors to Support Building

January 18, 2012

Foundation Problem: An 80-year old building on historic Beals Street in Brookline, MA was undergoing major renovations. The structure was completely gutted and was being sold as new condominium units. During the demolition process, several large cracks were revealed within the foundation walls. Also due to the sloping floors above, the contractor suspected the site was on poor soils.

A subsoils investigation ultimately revealed the site was a swamp that had been filled-in some time ago. The existing building was originally constructed over these poor soils, allowing the foundation to differentially settle.

Helical Anchors: High-capacity helical anchors were installed with limited-access hydraulic equipment. Approximately 24 piles were used to stabilize the foundation and the rest were utilized to support the new concrete floor slab. A total of 50 helical piles were successfully installed in 5 working days.