Hydraulic Cylinders in Foundation Repair
Hydraulic cylinders are an essential part of foundation repair projects, responsible for heavy duty lifting, pushing, and supporting. Hydraulic cylinders are typically used to install steel piers or concrete pilings, which are both used to support repaired foundations in southeast Texas. Hydraulic cylinders also provide reliable support while work crews shim the foundation or permanently affix supports to the structure.
Throughout the process, foundation repair puts intense stresses on hydraulic cylinders. Therefore, it’s important to select a high quality, well-built hydraulic cylinder for the job.
How Hydraulic Cylinders Are Used in Foundation Repair Projects
Hydraulic cylinders are responsible for the following during foundation repair:
- Ramming piers or piles into place – Once access to the building’s foundation is dug out, work crews will install drive stands at each access point. Every drive stand includes a hydraulic cylinder that’s used to ram supports into the soil, one by one. These supports could be steel piers, concrete pilings, helical piers, or some other type of support. To provide the needed ramming force, the hydraulic cylinder pushes off of the foundation’s bottom surface.
- Reaching a supporting layer of substrata – As the hydraulic cylinders drive each support into the ground, they get closer and closer to bedrock, hard pan, or another layer of supporting substrata. It’s this deep supporting layer that will bear weight once the piers or pilings are in place. It’s the hydraulic cylinders job to push the piers or pilings this deep and help create the load-bearing capabilities that will keep the repaired foundation in place.
- Pushing the foundation back into alignment – Once the hydraulic cylinders hit load-bearing strata, the building will “refuse” additional pushing force. This is a clear sign that the piers or pilings have reached load-bearing rock or soil. With the ultimate bottom established, the hydraulic cylinders are then used to push up against the bottom of the foundation, aligning any stressed segments back into place.
- Supporting the foundation while the piers or piles are permanently attached – At this point, the piers or pilings are in place and rammed to depth. Now that the supports can provide proper stability, they just need to be permanently affixed to the building’s foundation. This can only be done if the foundation is kept in place, which is done with the help of the hydraulic cylinders. Each cylinder maintains its load while the foundation is aligned and while workers shim and permanently affix the new supports.
At this point, all that’s left to do is remove the drive stands from each access point, remove the cylinders, and store them for the next foundation repair job
Four Features to Look for in Hydraulic Cylinders for Foundation Repair
Hydraulic cylinders play a primary role in foundation repair, so it’s worth investing in cylinders that provide proven reliability and durability. Replacing a hydraulic cylinder or adding to your equipment resources? Here’s what to look for in your next foundation repair cylinder:
- A solid steel body – Solid steel construction protects your hydraulic cylinder from impact damage, resists corrosion, and reduces the rate of wear. A solid steel body provides a strong base for your hydraulic cylinder and ensures it can lift and ram without fail.
- Aluminum bronze bearings – If your hydraulic cylinder is built with aluminum bronze bearings, it will withstand off-center loads better and wear at a slower pace.
- Maximum-sized springs – Extra large return springs are better at withstanding wear and return faster than smaller springs.
- Chrome-plated piston rod – A chrome-plated piston rod is corrosion-resistant and will be less susceptible to chemical attack.
Beyond these durability-focused features, many foundation repair crews also target hydraulic cylinders that simplify fixturing applications and allow for a greater range of accessories. For example, Power Team’s C series of hydraulic cylinders come standard with collar threads and are compatible with an expanded range of accessories for the piston rod, collar and base.
Keep Your Hydraulic Cylinders on the Job with Preventative Maintenance Services
Hydraulic cylinders do the literal heavy lifting during foundation repair. It’s a tough job that calls for maximum reliability because failure could be catastrophic if it occurs while the cylinder is under load. To maximize your hydraulic equipment’s reliability and operating efficiency, make room in your schedule (and budget) for preventative maintenance.
An expert hydraulic equipment technician can provide preventative maintenance for your foundation repair equipment. Hydraulic equipment technicians have the training and experience to handle a variety of hydraulic cylinder models and brands. If your operator teams don’t have the necessary comfort level with your hydraulic equipment, or if they don’t have the time to perform maintenance, a hydraulic equipment expert can provide reliable, efficient maintenance services for your hydraulic cylinders. That way, your foundation repair operations won’t be sidetracked by equipment downtime.