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Massapequa, NY 11758
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Berkshire School Solar Field
Project Information
- Project Location:
- Sheffield, MA
- Status:
- Completed
- Structure Type:
- School / College / University
References
- Architect:
- GZA Environmental Inc.
- General Contractor:
- FSR
Scope Of Work
The Berkshire School Solar Field was to be built on an 8.25-acre site with soils ranging from loamy bog with cobbles to glacial till. The expected wind loads due to the large surface area of the solar panels meant that the foundation system would have to withstand substantial lateral loads. In addition, a rapid and simple installation was necessary in order to complete the project before school was back in session. For these reasons, helical piles were chosen for the solar foundation system. Helical piles also eliminated the need for concrete due to the fact that the brackets could be mounted directly to the pile extensions, which in turned saved time and money. FSR installed 1,024 custom manufactured 5.563” diameter piles with a single 16” helix. These piles were installed to an average depth of 12’ in order to achieve the loads specified by GZA Environmental.
Pile Specs:
1,024 MacLean Power Systems Helical Piles
5.563” Diameter
0.258” Wall Thickness
Single 16” Helix
18.83’ Long
Ultimate Loads:
Compression: 14,000 Lbs.
Tension: 4500 Lbs.
Lateral: 3000 Lbs.