Cased micropiles consist of drilled or driven grouted piles surrounded by a steel exterior for reinforcement. They provide excellent long-term reinforcement, making them good choices for those involved in new home construction or renovation. These options could also improve the effectiveness and resilience of the green roofs and walls that have become increasingly popular in sustainable residential and commercial projects. What should people consider when using these options?
Preventing Future Problems
Some construction managers choose cased micropiles to address known issues and prevent them from reoccurring after renovation projects. Succeeding in this aim could allow decision-makers to address problems that make buildings unsafe while simultaneously adding green roofs or living walls to them.
In one example, a nine-story residential building with a surface raft foundation started showing severe settlement problems shortly after its construction, resulting in the structure tilting continuously. Those dealing with this issue began by performing a site investigation to learn more about the soil conditions. Additionally, they conducted a comprehensive monitoring survey to confirm how much the structure had moved.
The combined results revealed that weak soil under the foundation contributed to the problem. Decision-makers chose to use 111 micropiles in their repair plans and determined that high-tensile steel tubing was the most accessible casing material. They realized they would get the best results by concentrating the micropiles in the building’s loaded areas. Monitoring data confirmed that this approach was an efficient method to stop the tilting.
Solving that initial problem could give construction managers the confidence to pursue other building improvements, such as green roofs and living walls. However, they should account for how those additions may change the building loads and potentially require more cased micropiles to maintain the necessary stability.
Reduce Adverse Environmental Impacts
When a client’s goal is to include living walls and green roofs in their project, that is a strong sign that they want to minimize the environmental stresses of construction. Cased micropiles align with that aim by limiting disruptions to nearby ecosystems and optimizing resource allocation to target excessive consumption.
Since cased micropiles are small but highly effective when correctly installed, they align with people’s desire to install green roofs with minimal environmental disruptions. Similarly, this support method reduces the chances of construction shortcomings that become apparent later and require extensive repairs. If previous issues with ground instability have occurred at the construction site or nearby, decision-makers may determine that cased micropiles are essential for preventing consequences that could risk lives or extend project timelines.
For example, landslides can occur due to instability within natural slopes, but strategically applied cased micropiles could prevent them. In one case affecting Wyoming’s largest two-lane highway, construction teams installed them beneath a new fill material that weighs at least 50% less than its conventional counterparts. Workers installed the cased micropiles in a pattern beneath the fill to increase resistive force, which opposes the force applied by moving objects.
This project also added drains to prevent water pooling that had previously accumulated at the site. Since unstable ground was a known issue at this location, those overseeing the construction had to examine numerous ways to combat it. Cased micropiles were integral to the desired results, and they could be similarly advantageous for people wanting to include green roofs and living walls on new or existing buildings. These bring new site aspects to evaluate, and cased micropiles provide extra structural support in challenging areas.
Minimizing Carbon Footprints
Green roofs and living walls have become popular because they allow people to make sustainable changes to existing buildings. As government authorities, environmental activists and others continue raising concerns about the planet’s future, some believe eco-friendly infrastructure improvements are essential for achieving the necessary goals.
The authors of a 2024 study explored various types of green, blue and gray infrastructure to assess how well they could reduce air pollution. One finding was that well-placed green features can cause up to a 40% reduction in black carbon levels. That takeaway could inspire property owners who want to make their buildings greener with purposes beyond beautification and novelty.
They also reduce the construction-related carbon footprint by not requiring heavy equipment installation. Although decision-makers must make other eco-friendly choices to prevent increasing air pollution in additional ways, cased micropiles match environmental objectives while making living walls and green roofs more stable.
The additional stability could also give the finished building more longevity, preventing repairs that expand the carbon footprint over time. Professionals should examine all possibilities for minimizing carbon impacts, including less common options. For example, purchasing cased micropiles made from recycled materials reduces the carbon burdens associated with their production and reuses materials people may otherwise discard.
Incorporating Cased Micropiles Into Future Projects
These case studies are ideal for inspiring people who have previously used cased micropiles for projects beyond green infrastructure or those interested in trying them for the first time. However, they should assess site-specific variables and collaborate with experts before choosing the best approaches. That input will help them design construction plans most likely to meet the stated requirements and result in safe, functional buildings.
