NEWS 2010

Posted February 1, 2010 (Updated February 15, 2010)

Event: February 25, 2010

Dr. Mohammed Sakr, P.Eng., Almita Manufacturing Ltd. - High Capacity Helical Piles - A New Dimension for Deep Foundations

Location: Room L005, Engineering Technologies Annex, NAIT Campus Map

Time: 1:45am-1:30pm

$15 Members, $20 Non-members, $5 Students

This presentation highlights the recent direction towards the use of large diameter helical piles to support heavy commercial and industrial loads. Helical piles offer high compressive and uplift capacities (three to five times that of traditional driven steel piles with the same shaft diameter and length), rapid speed of installation, suitability for construction in very limited access conditions, installation in frozen or swampy soil conditions and cost effectiveness. The results of a comprehensive helical pile load test program conducted in Northern Alberta will be presented in this seminar. A total of 13 full-scale axial pile load tests, including nine compression and four tension tests, were conducted on single helix and multi helix piles installed in a variety of soil conditions. The data presented offers valuable insights for the engineering practitioner considering the use of helical piles for supporting heavy loads imposed by commercial and industrial applications.

Mohammed Sakr, Ph.D., P.Eng., is the Lead Geotechnical Engineer at Almita Manufacturing Ltd in Ponoka, Alberta. Dr. Sakr attained his post graduate degrees (MESc. and Ph.D.) from the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. He has 18 years of management, geotechnical, consulting and construction experience. Dr. Sakr has advanced knowledge and experience in deep foundations, slope stability, machine foundation design, soil dynamics, and construction management. Dr. Sakr leads the helical pile research and development efforts at Almita, and has authored or co-authored more than 30 geotechnical articles.