AIRBORNE EXCAVATORS AND A CLEAN MICROPILE SOLUTION Now that sounds like the future. Inside an existing paper mill in Duluth, MN, equipment upgrades required new foundations to support a new papermaking machine. This project presented several challenges. There was no clear path to the area in which the foundations needed to be installed. Therefore, all equipment and material required had to be lifted over the existing machinery from a mezzanine and set in the installation area by crane. Traditional micropiles were recommended for this project, but excess water and mess in the enclosed space were also concerns. Driven piles were also considered for this project; however, there were concerns about vibrations and installation feasability. IDEAL worked with Tri-State Drilling, an IDEAL Certified STELCOR installer, to provide their client with a custom deep foundation solution to meet the project challenges. STELCOR was presented as an alternate and was then successfully load tested to 200 tons compression and 75 tons in tension. STELCOR DDMs were accepted and proved the best solution for multiple reasons. STELCOR requires minimal installation equipment and would utilize an excavator. Therefore, a dedicated piling rig would not have to be mobilized. That alone would have presented a significant logistical challenge. The IDEAL design team also developed a soil displacement head specific to this project's soil profile. Tri-State Drilling installed 131 STELCOR DDMs to 100' feet with no vibrations and minimal mess. Read all about it at bit.ly/duluthpaper. Contact IDEAL and see how we can help you save time and money with our industrial foundation solutions. Give us a call at 585-872-7190 or text us at 631-597-8910http://idl-grp.com