Push Piers Foundation Repair

Do Push Piers Work?

Yes, but they put more stress on a building than helical piers do. Push piers are attached to the building as they are installed; they use the weight of the building to push the pier into the earth.

Push pier manufacturers specify that each pier needs to be closely monitored during installation. If one rises more than ¼” vertically ahead of the adjacent piers, it can cause structural damage.

This is why Acculevel believes push piers are best used with large industrial settings built from poured concrete (not block). Your average residential building is not heavy enough to effectively work with push piers without risking stress to structure. This is especially true if you have a concrete block foundation; individual blocks can crack under the strain.

What Are The Best Type of Foundation Piers?

The best type of foundation piers depends on the property and the environment it is in. However, there are many types of concrete and steel piers to choose from. Let’s take a look at the most common types of foundation piers used for today’s buildings and structures.

1. Helical Pier

A helical pier is a foundation pin made of steel. Just like screws, these piers contain helices. Helical piers are used to support structures, especially where soil conditions are challenging and make it difficult to set up a traditional foundation system.

There are two types of helical piers: round shaft and square shaft. Round shafts are better at handling compression forces and maintaining lateral stability, as well as resisting twisting and deflection due to compression.

2. Steel Push Pier

Also known as resistance piers, jacked piles, or hydraulically driven piers, steel push piers utilize round tube sections of strong and durable steel and a load transfer bracket to lift and stabilize the foundation of a property that is shifting, sloping, or sinking due to unstable soil or weather conditions. One benefit of steel push pier systems is that they do not require a lot of massive equipment, making it the perfect option for foundations that are difficult to access.

3. Straight-Shaft End-Bearing Piers

Straight-shaft end bearing piers are fairly simple. Just like interior pillars support the upper levels of a residential or commercial building, these piers were manufactured to ensure that the weight of a home or building is built upon durable soil or rock. When the soil directly under a foundation is deemed entirely useless in bearing the weight of a building, straight-shaft end-bearing piers are often used.

4. Belled Or Under Reamed Piers

These foundation piers work in a similar way to straight-shaft end-bearing piers. However, the difference is their shape. Instead of having a straight shaft, belled foundation piers are in the shape of a — you guessed it — bell.

These piers are designed to support concrete slab foundations. Belling results in a substantial increase in bearing capacity while minimizing the quantity of concrete required for the pier. These piers can come in handy when a strong layer of soil is preceded by a weaker layer.

Function & Advantages of Push Piers

A push pier is basically a series of hollow pipes fit together and pushed into the ground, hence the name push pier. Piers are pushed in using a hydraulic ram until it reaches load-bearing stratum.

They are then anchored to the structure with pier brackets. The weight of the structure becomes the resistance mass needed to push against the piers. This resistance keeps them in place and creates stability, lift, and leveling for the foundation.

These hollow pipes can be reinforced by adding non-shrink grout and rebar, thus increasing the overall lateral stability. Push piers are finalized when the required capacity is reached and/or the foundation begins to move.

Push piers are a viable option for some foundation repair jobs. Most notably, these piers can be installed in tight spaces. The required equipment is all handheld, and piers are fit together as needed to reach load-bearing stratum. Therefore, the required space can be as small as 3’x3’, with a 6’ overhead clearance.

Push piers are also advantageous when repairing a heavy building’s foundation. The heavier structure works well with this system because the piers are “pushed” into the ground using the building’s weight. Two-story homes, brick structures, and commercial buildings provide the needed resistance mass.

Limitations of Push Piers

There are limitations that put push piers at a disadvantage when compared to helicals. The biggest downside is with its weight requirement. Push piers are not ideal for lighter loads. If the mass is lighter, like a 1-story home or garage, it will not provide enough resistance to push the pier to capacity. Some foundation companies opt to use this system for commercial buildings instead of homes because of their weight.