Lassiter recently completed a pier drilling project for a new solar panel array above a parking lot. (See our Instagram profile for clips of the work.) We drilled the holes and constructed the concrete forms for the stanchions on which the solar panels would be installed.
Pier Drilling for Bay Area Solar Panel Installations
Pier drilling is a method used for drilling deep holes or shafts in the earth to construct the concrete foundations that this solar panel installation and similar projects need.
As a pier drilling company, we use this drilling method to transfer the load of the structure to the subsurface layers of the earth at different depths. The depth and concrete structure must be engineered to provide sufficient support under all climate and environmental conditions for the area.
Why use pier drilling rather than boring piles?
Though boring piles can also be used for foundation and structures like these solar panels, they are different from drilled piers in terms of size. The diameter of boring piles normally remains 0.6 meters or less whereas holes of greater diameter are better as drilled piers. The deep foundation of drilled piers allows the transfer of heavy lateral or axial loads of the entire structure to the deep layers below the surface of the ground.
Advantages of pier drilling
- Pier drilling is more convenient than constructing piles as single pier can bear the load of various piles grouped together.
- The load resistance power of drilled piers is laterally much more than the piles.
- While constructing drilled piers people experience less or no noise due to the absence of the blows of the hammers used in constructing piles.
- Pier drilling also helps in retaining the strength of the surrounding soil. Driving piles can cause soil heaving and the vibrations can cause soil fracture.
- Drilled piers provide greater load-bearing capacity to the structure they support due to their enlarged base.
A Top Pier Drilling Contractor in Northern California
If you need a pier drilling contractor for your construction project in Northern California, give us a call at 925-449-3112 or use our website form for a free quote.