On 1/10/14 3:05 PM, Brian Amos wrote:
As a foundation engineer my first thought is wow! I think that
foundation is way over designed. My second thought is if you have water
at 5 feet you may be better off having the backhoe guy bring a drill
instead. A drilled pier would possibly give you more bang for your buck.
around here (Southern California) a lot more things with high moment
(street lights, traffic signals, signs, etc.) are on drilled piers than
"block o'concrete".
However, that's something that is "power tools required", and things
sold into the ham market have traditionally been provided with designs
that can be executed by a person with a shovel and a wheelbarrow as a
sort of lowest common denominator.
Really calling a local geotechnical engineering firm is your best bet. I
do that sort analysis all the time. Someone familiar with the soil at
your location will know exactly what you need. And a couple hundred
dollars is about the right price point. You may even be able to save
enough on construction costs that you come out ahead.
And they'll probably know who to hire for the crane to put the tower on
the pier when you're done, too.
The depth is likely a frost protection method
more than anything.
Interesting.. I hadn't thought about that (Southern California again),
and that kind of oversight is why I'm NOT a Civil Engineer, but an
Electrical.<grin>
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