Post by Frederic Masse

LOAD TESTS often go unnoticed, yet they are among the most critical and potentially dangerous activities in our projects. In this video, we tested a micropile to 1,000 kips. Now let’s stop and think about that number because It's important to recognize the significant amount of stored energy present in the test setups. How many micropiles like this one would be needed to support the Eiffel Tower? The answer is surprisingly small: just 20 micropiles, 5 supporting each pillar. That’s it! So on that particular test, we applied 1/20 of the weight of the eiffel tower on a micropile and thanks to Newton’s third law, to that beam! That’s a tremendous amount of stored energy. Take your typical pickup truck and stack 250 of them on top of each other and that’s the amount of load in that video on that lone micropile. Any failure during this test or with that beam could lead to catastrophic consequences. At Nicholson Construction , we are committed to standardizing our equipment, digitalizing and automating data collection, and enhancing safety features across all our load test setups. Alongside a robust training program for our field personnel and project engineers, we are ensuring that we conduct safe tests with maximum performance for both our employees and clients. With these energies, there’s no room for lack of preparation and chance. PS: Please note that the video below is for illustration purposes only and does not reflect our ultimate goals in this journey. #buildonus

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