TECHNICAL BULLETIN
ISSUE 40
JUNE 2022
GROUND SCREWS WHAT ARE THEY AND HOW DO THEY WORK? ANDY GABEL, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, GS4U
How we build is constantly evolving, both in the UK and around the world. In the UK, we have relied for many years on bricks, mortar, and concrete. These are tried and tested technologies, after all, concrete has been around for hundreds of years, but increasingly there are demands on us to change the way we build. When we visit other countries it is fascinating to see so many alternatives with the use of native materialsto build structures, from timber and metal to mud and palm leaves, all without the use of concrete. Whilst concrete is a very popular construction material choice in the UK and is the primary solution for building foundations, it is also a major CO2 contributor, and it is estimated that around 10% of global carbon dioxide is from cement/concrete production. With this in mind, innovative alternatives to concrete are becoming more popular. Ground screws, being an alternative to strip foundations, are one such alternative. What are ground screws?
screw. Ground screws are based on the principle of pile foundations – one of the oldest and most reliable types
A ground screw is like a large version of an ordinary wood
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