Case Study
500,000 Gallon Water Tank Support
Situation
Between August and November 2024, a 500,000-gallon water tank
was to be constructed in Newellton, Louisiana, Tensas Parish, for use by
the small farming community. Soil testing conducted by Geotechnical
Testing Laboratory, Inc. confirmed that the site had soft soils, which
necessitated the use of a deep foundation system to support the
substantial weight of the water tank. The design team recommended the
installation of helical piles to ensure stability and long-term integrity of
the structure. Womack & Sons Construction Group was awarded the
contract to construct the steel water tank and contracted with Cantsink
LLC for the deep foundation support system.
Scope of Work
The project involved new construction for a water tank, with pile
locations marked after the building pad was established. Cantsink LLC
was contracted to install 116 helical piles to support the 500,000-gallon
water tank. The installation took place over a 10-day period, with some
weather-related delays. The work was focused on ensuring that the
tank would have a stable foundation, meeting the necessary load-bearing requirements for the planned structure.
Anchor System
Cantsink utilized 3.0-inch pipe piles with 12/14/16-inch triple helix
configurations for the foundation. These piles were specifically chosen
due to their superior load-bearing capacity and suitability for the soft
soils found on-site. Each pile was rated for a 40 kip (40,000 lbs) design
load to meet the project's requirements. A 12,000-lb drive head, paired
with a skid steer and a Pro Dig 25K torque monitor (model H-300), was
used to ensure that the piles were driven to the necessary depth and
torque specifications. A total of 8,273 linear feet of helical piles were
installed, with pile depths averaging 71 feet to reach the required load-bearing capacity.
Result
The installation was successfully completed, with all piles reaching the
required torque and depth specifications. The result was a solid and
reliable foundation for the water tank, providing the farming
community with the peace of mind that the tank would be built to last.
The foundation's stability ensures that the Cantsink helical piles can
safely support the water tank with its Design Load of approx.
4,500,000 LB and perform reliably for years to come, contributing to
the long-term infrastructure needs of the community.
