System for terminating helical piles and tiebacks

Abstract

A threaded termination for helical piles has an elongated shaft and a substantially square cross-section. A series of uniformly-spaced notches on the corners of the termination shaft are aligned to form partial threads around the termination shaft. A coupler on an end of the termination shaft has a socket with a substantially square cross-section. In use, a helical pile is initially screwed into the ground. The coupler of the termination is then attached to the upper end of the helical pile with the shafts of the termination and helical pile axially aligned. The assembly can then be screwed further into the ground by applying torque to the termination. The upper portion of the shaft of the termination can be cut off, as need, and a load transfer device is then threaded onto the upper end of the shaft of the termination.

1 . A termination for a helical pile having an elongated shaft with a substantially square cross-section and an upper end, said termination comprising:
 an elongated shaft having opposing ends and a substantially square cross-section;   a series of uniformly-spaced notches on the corners of the shaft aligned to form partial threads around the shaft; and   a coupler on an end of the shaft having a socket with a substantially square cross-section for receiving and engaging the upper end of the shaft of a helical pile, said coupler transmitting torque between the threaded shaft and the shaft of the helical pile by mechanical interference between the coupler socket and the end of the shaft of the helical pile.   
     
     
         2 . The termination of  claim 1  further comprising a hole extending through the coupler and the upper end of the shaft of the helical pile to receive a bolt to secure the helical pile to the coupler. 
     
     
         3 . The termination of  claim 1  wherein the shaft further comprises rounded corners. 
     
     
         4 . A method for terminating a helical pile assembly comprising:
 providing a helical pile having an elongated shaft with a substantially square cross-section and an upper end;   screwing the helical pile into the ground by applying torque to the upper end of the shaft of the helical pile;   providing a termination having:   (a) an elongated shaft having opposing ends and a substantially square cross-section;   (b) a series of uniformly-spaced notches on the corners of the termination shaft aligned to form partial threads around the termination shaft; and   (c) a coupler on an end of the termination shaft having a socket with a substantially square cross-section;   attaching the coupler of the termination to the upper end of the shaft of the helical pile with the shafts of the termination and helical pile axially aligned;   screwing at least a portion of the termination into the ground by applying torque to the termination, with the coupler transferring torque to drive the helical pile further into the ground by mechanical interference between the coupler socket and the end of the shaft of the helical pile; and   threading a load transfer device on the upper end of the shaft of the termination.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising the step of cutting off the upper end of the shaft of the termination at a desired elevation prior to threading a load transfer device on the upper end of the shaft of the termination. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the load transfer device handles compression loads. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the load transfer device handles tensile loads. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the load transfer device comprises a flat load transfer cap. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the load transfer device comprises a rabbit-ears attachment. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4  wherein a hole extends through the coupler and the upper end of the shaft of the helical pile, and further comprising the step of placing a bolt through the hold to secure the helical pile to the coupler.