Mechanized installation of screw piles

 

Advantages of Mechanized Screw Pile Installation

When it comes to screw piles, precision and uniform penetration are paramount. Level errors or vertical misalignment can later result in crooked piping or a loose floor. This is why mechanized installation produces results that cannot be replicated manually.

1. Vertical and Depth Accuracy

Modern hydraulic installations allow torque and screw direction to be controlled with an accuracy of fractions of a degree. The operator can see everything using the level and equipment readings.

While manual piles often wander vertically, especially in dense soils, specialized equipment drives them precisely along the axis—without deviation or distortion.

2. High Installation Speed

A team using mechanized installation can install up to 40–60 piles per day, compared to 10–15 with manual installation.

For example, the foundation for a 100 m² frame house can be built in half a day. At the same time, quality is not compromised: the machine drives the piles with uniform force and evenly.

3. Works in any soil

Hydraulic units easily penetrate even dense clay, loam, and frozen soils.

Where manual installation becomes a struggle for every revolution, machinery simply gets the job done. And for large piles—with a diameter of 133 mm and above—mechanization is absolutely essential.

4. Minimal damage to the site

Many people think that machinery will ruin the landscape. In fact, it's the opposite: mini-loaders and tracked units are lightweight and leave minimal marks.

If necessary, they can even drive over an existing lawn, and after installation, there will be no ruts or dirt left.

5. Less human error

With manual installation, a lot depends on the experience of the workers. One didn't tighten the pile enough, another deflected it, a third got the depth wrong—and the result is a warped pile. Mechanized installation eliminates these risks: the operator simply sets the required torque and angle, and the hydraulic drive does everything smoothly and evenly.

When Specialized Equipment Is Essential

1. Industrial and Heavy-Duty Sites

Driving piles with a diameter of 133 mm or more by hand is practically impossible. It requires enormous force, and vertical control is nearly impossible.

Therefore, at industrial sites, hangars, warehouses, power transmission towers, and communication masts, specialized equipment is always used.

Not only does it drive piles with the correct torque, but it also allows for installation of dozens of piles per day, saving weeks on time.

2. Frost Heave and Dense Soils

If the soil is dense, with clay layers, or even rocky, hand tools simply won't do the job.

A hydraulic rig can drive piles with a torque of up to several tons without losing vertical alignment. In frozen conditions, where the top layer sets, the equipment simply screws the pile into the ice like a screw, without breaking the blade or damaging the shaft.

3. Short construction times

When it's crucial to stay on schedule—for example, when installing a foundation for a pavilion, gas station, or house by a specific date—manual labor slows down the process.

Mechanized installation allows for rapid work: 1–2 days, and the site is ready for framing.

4. Large pile fields

If hundreds of piles need to be installed for a hangar or a long pier, no manual crew can handle the job without sacrificing quality.

Mechanical installations are indispensable in such cases: installation proceeds quickly, the piles are uniformly embedded, and they are installed with minimal error.

5. Limited accessibility

Paradoxically, specialized equipment often comes to the rescue even in areas where space is limited—for example, between adjacent fences or near existing buildings.

Modern mini-installations based on small excavators or walk-behind tractors are compact in size and fit into openings up to 1.2 meters.