Ram Jack: First And Only To Meet AC-358 Criteria

June 27, 2011 - PRLog -- Ada, Okla. – Ram Jack Systems Distribution, LLC recently became the first and only manufacturer to receive an International Code Council approved evaluation report for their helical piles.
   “Being the only manufacturer to have this gives us a leg up on the competition,” said Ram Jack District Manager Ivan Matthews.
   Helical piles are important foundation innovations because of their versatility.  Before acceptance criteria for helical piles were adopted by ICC-Evaluation Services, Inc., the foundation industry relied on unofficial legacy evaluation reports.
   Ram Jack Director of Engineering Darin Willis said the legacy reports were established prior to establishment of the 2000 International Building Code (IBC).
   “A standard guideline for product evaluation did not exist at the time,” he said.
   Because of the lack of uniform standards, Matthews said helical manufacturers often had to conform to standards that didn’t necessarily pertain to helical pile applications.  As a solution, Ram Jack and nine other foundation manufacturing companies formed the Ad Hoc Committee of Helical Foundation Manufacturers.
This committee would ultimately come up with AC-358, a set of uniform standards to evaluate helical piles.
“We need uniform standards to follow to drive our industry forward,” said Matthews.  “I see more and more commercial business because of AC-358 standards.  Engineers are really concerned about these things.  If they’re going to put their name on something, they want to know it can stand up to scrutiny.”
ICC accepted AC-358 in June, 2007.  Willis said AC-358 evaluates helical foundation systems based on four categories:  bracket capacity and its connection to the structure, shaft capacity considering buckling with eccentricities, helix plate capacities and soil interaction capacity.
Matthews said Ram Jack met and exceeded the standards set in most areas.  With ESR-1854, Ram Jack became the first, and currently only, foundation system manufacturer to receive an evaluation services report for their helical piles.
   
“Ram Jack’s piles tested very well,” Willis said.  He said one reason for Ram Jack’s success in the evaluation is the fact that Ram Jack has always tested their helical piles as a system.  Ram Jack’s piles have a thermal-plastic coating which keeps static electricity from wearing away at the pile and is also environmentally friendly.
   Matthews said he sees AC-358 standards pushing the foundation industry forward in several areas.  He said he sees them being most useful in commercial contracting.
   “I see more and more commercial business because of AC-358,” he said.
“AC-358 standards will make permitting easier,” Willis said.  “Engineers will have more confidence in their report and our capacities because helical piles have been independently verified.”

For more information regarding Ram Jack or to view the ICC acceptance report (http://www.ramjack.com/our-company/in-the-news/display/5)  criteria please visit our website: www.ramjack.com

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Ram Jack is a foundation repair with over 43 years experience. With a list of patented products developed in house and a national network of franchise operations across the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Panama, we are the only true Foundation Solution.