RADIX Helical Piles
British engineering, supporting customers across the globe. Whether you’re a piling contractor looking for a trusted supply partner or a main contractor seeking full turnkey installation, RADIX delivers helical pile products engineered for performance.
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What is a Helical Pile – and How Does It Differ from a Ground Screw?
What is a Helical Pile – and How Does It Differ from a Ground Screw?
Supply & Installation Services
RADIX continues to deliver full turnkey piling solutions across the UK, Europe, Scandinavia, South America and Australia. With regional and global partners, and approved installation teams, we combine international capability with local knowledge and responsiveness, so you get the right support, right when you need it.
We work with:
- Developers
- Main contractors
- Engineers
- Developers
RADIX offers a comprehensive range of services from consultancy to feasibility studies, site surveys, load testing & reporting to full project design & planning.
Applications of Helical Piles
Key Applications for Helical Piles
- Bridge Foundations Helical piles provide a fast, vibration-free solution for temporary or permanent bridge foundations, especially in remote or environmentally sensitive locations. Their immediate load-bearing capacity supports quick build schedules, transferring loads to deep, more stable strata, while minimal disturbance preserves surrounding terrain.
- Solar Carports & PV Installations In commercial solar carport installations, helical piles offer the strength and stability needed to withstand wind, snow, and dynamic loads. They’re also ideal for sites where driven piles or concrete would be impractical or too costly.
- BESS (Battery Energy Storage Systems) For battery storage units, stability and grounding are critical. Helical piles provide a reliable foundation that adapts to uneven or variable soil conditions, ensuring long-term structural integrity and regulatory compliance.
- Transmission Towers & Poles Helical piles are commonly used for power transmission infrastructure due to their ability to resist uplift and lateral forces. They’re quick to deploy in remote or off-grid areas and can be installed with minimal equipment and environmental impact.
- Structural Underpinning (Subsidence Remediation) Helical piles are an ideal solution for stabilising and underpinning existing structures suffering from subsidence. They can be installed externally or internally, with minimal excavation, to transfer load to stable strata, restoring structural integrity without extensive disruption.
- House Foundations For new-builds, extensions, or rebuilds on soft or unstable ground, helical piles provide a strong and adaptable foundation alternative to traditional footings. They’re particularly effective in flood-prone or clay-rich soils and offer fast, clean installation.
- Temporary Works & Demountable Structures Because they can be installed and removed with ease, helical piles are well-suited to temporary structures, including staging, event platforms, hoardings, and modular buildings. They leave no permanent footprint and eliminate the need for concrete.
- Rail, Road & Civil Infrastructure Used for embankment stabilisation, sign gantries, retaining structures, and temporary works, helical piles are increasingly favoured for transport and infrastructure projects, especially where time, vibration, or environmental concerns are limiting factors.
Helical Piles FAQ
Whatever you are building will have its unique requirements when it comes to the foundations. Our question and answers section can give you more information, but if you don’t find the answer, please contact us.
Are helical piles easy to install?
Yes – ease and speed of installation are among the key advantages of using helical piles. With no excavation, no curing time, and minimal ground disturbance, they can be installed by a small team using compact equipment. Each pile can typically be advanced at a rate of around 3 metres every five minutes, meaning a dozen or more piles can often be installed in just a few hours — even on restricted-access or sensitive sites
Are helical piles cost-effective?
Helical piles offer a highly efficient foundation solution with significant cost savings across the board. By eliminating the need for excavation, spoil removal, curing time, and heavy plant, on-site labour and programme costs are greatly reduced. What’s more, with no ongoing maintenance or long-term upkeep required, the lifetime cost of a helical pile system is exceptionally low — making it a smart investment for both temporary and permanent works
Can helical piles support load immediately after installation?
Yes – one of the key advantages of helical piles is their immediate load-bearing capability. Once installed to the specified depth and torque, they’re ready to take load straight away, with no curing time required. This allows follow-on works to begin without delay, helping to accelerate project timelines and reduce overall costs
Can helical piles be installed at any time of year?
Yes — helical piles can be installed in all weather conditions, all year round. Unlike concrete-based systems, they don’t rely on curing, which means low temperatures and wet conditions pose no delay to progress. Whether it’s freezing winter or a wet summer, installation can continue uninterrupted — keeping your project on schedule
Are helical piles suitable for contaminated ground?
Yes — helical piles are often an ideal choice for contaminated ground. As they are screwed into place rather than driven or bored, they generate no soil displacement or down drag, meaning contaminants are not carried down through the soil profile during installation. In known contaminated sites, closed-end pile designs are typically recommended to protect underlying aquifers and prevent cross-contamination between soil layers
Are helical piles versatile?
Absolutely. Helical piles are engineered to handle axial, uplift, and lateral loads, making them suitable for a wide range of structural applications — including those where traditional foundations fall short. While they’re typically installed vertically, they can also be installed at angles or even horizontally, making them particularly effective for earth retention, slope stabilisation, and other complex ground conditions
Are helical piles easy to remove?
Yes — one of the unique benefits of helical piles is their reversibility. Installed like a screw, they can also be unscrewed and fully removed, even years after installation. This makes them an excellent choice for temporary works, events, or environmentally sensitive sites where full deconstruction and ground restoration are required
Do helical piles create excessive vibration during installation?
No – helical piles generate minimal vibration during installation, making them ideal for use near existing buildings, infrastructure, and sensitive underground services. Unlike driven piles, the installation process is controlled and quiet, significantly reducing the risk of damage to nearby structures or disruption to utilities