A perpetually soft section of track in Cook, Minnesota, required additional subgrade stabilization. To strengthen the area without removing the existing track, 85 Rail Piles were installed along an 85-foot section.

The piles were installed in a crisscross pattern beneath the track structure to reinforce the soft soils and improve support for ongoing rail traffic. This approach allowed stabilization work to be completed with minimal disruption to the existing rail line.

Follow-up surveys were conducted one year after installation. Survey results and maintenance records confirmed that the Rail Pile stabilization system successfully improved performance along the treated section.

The 55-mile, 345 kV New York Energy Solution project replaced aging 1930s lattice structures with high-load, double-circuit monopoles. MAGNUM® Helical Piles and MUG grillages created an all-steel foundation solution for the demanding transmission loads. The system eliminated concrete from the critical construction path while accommodating tight pile installation tolerances.

A 300-ton load test and independent third-party review validated the foundation system. The completed transmission project was energized in August 2023, approximately six months ahead of schedule. This project demonstrates how high-capacity helical pile foundations can support accelerated transmission infrastructure upgrades.

Construction of a new concrete utility vault along East 48th Avenue created a significant temporary-support challenge. The vault intersected an existing sewer main that needed to remain operational through most of the construction process.

Before excavation began, the project team needed a dependable way to support the sewer main, maintain its elevation and preserve clear access for installation of the vault and its permanent reinforcing system.

Project Challenge

The new vault would encase the existing sewer main. To complete the work, crews needed to suspend the line temporarily while they excavated, installed reinforcing and constructed the concrete vault around it.

The installation sequence played a critical role in the project. Crews needed to establish the temporary support system before excavation exposed the active sewer main. After exposing the line, the project team had to keep it supported and level while workers completed construction beneath and around it.

The project also required a fully removable system so crews could backfill the completed vault without leaving temporary foundation components in place.

MAGNUM Geo Solutions’ Role

MAGNUM Geo Solutions provided engineering for the complete temporary support structure and developed the recommended sequence for pile installation, excavation, sewer support, vault construction and removal of the temporary system.

This coordinated approach addressed the structural requirements of supporting an active sewer main while allowing construction to proceed beneath and around it.

MAGNUM Products

• Six MAGNUM® MH939U3-6 helical piles
• Six MAGNUM® MHC1300-9P24B2 end caps

The Mondu Transmission Line in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana, presented challenging foundation conditions. Saturated alluvial soils, standing water, and sensitive agricultural and wetland areas complicated conventional drilled foundation construction.

MAGNUM® Helical Piles and MUG grillages provided an all-steel foundation solution for the wet site. Crews installed the system with excavators positioned on timber mat bridges. This approach eliminated excavation, dewatering, drill spoils, and concrete. Installation torque also allowed pile capacity to be verified during construction.

Foundation work was completed on schedule, helping support Mondu Solar’s planned 2026 energization. The project demonstrates how helical pile foundations can address difficult site conditions while supporting demanding transmission construction schedules.

Minnesota Power’s 224-mile, 500 kV Great Northern Transmission Line crossed protected wetlands, remote areas, and peat bogs up to 40 feet deep. Excavation was prohibited across approximately 80% of the route, creating significant foundation and access challenges.

More than 2,000 MAGNUM® Helical Piles and MUG grillages supported approximately 800 transmission tower foundations. The all-steel system eliminated excavation and concrete curing while allowing pile capacity to be verified during installation.

Crews continued installation through winter conditions and environmentally sensitive wetlands. The transmission line was energized approximately six months ahead of schedule. The project demonstrates how helical pile foundations can support large-scale transmission construction in remote and challenging terrain.

Following recent hurricane events, revised FEMA flood elevations created new challenges for homes along the Eastern coastline. In many areas, existing structures needed to be raised above updated flood levels while maintaining a stable foundation system.

MAGNUM Geo-Solutions has designed several Flood Resistant Moment Frames to support elevated residential structures in these coastal environments. Each MAGNUM® Moment Frame is supported by helical piles that transfer structural loads into suitable bearing soils below the surface.

The steel frame system helps raise the home above the revised flood elevation while resisting vertical and lateral loads. Helical piles also allow installation with smaller equipment and limited site disturbance, which can be important on restricted coastal properties.

These Flood Resistant Moment Frames provide a practical foundation solution for elevated homes in hurricane- and flood-prone regions.

Magnum Geo-Solutions stabilized the front corner of the Historic Opera House in Downtown Loveland, CO using 3” diameter push piers.

Installation of helical piles for a launch facility at NASA Kennedy Space Center. Magnum Geo-Solutions performed the engineering calculations to size the helical anchors for this project

Magnum Geo-Solutions designed 42” diameter rock-socketed drilled shafts and driven H-piles to support a 3-lane, 250’ long bridge over the Passaic River between Fair Lawn and Paterson, NJ.

Magnum Geo-Solutions designed helical pile supported solutions for several Midstream project sites in the Northeast. Supported equipment includes above ground piping, compressor modules, vertical filters and separators, horizontal filters and separators, in addition to other equipment and skids.  These foundation designs allow for foundation installation throughout the year with no down time during the winter as solutions required no concrete.