The friction pile system may include a steel pipe column, an auger spiraled around its exterior surface, a helical plate near the tip, and small structural elements located around the helix. A plurality of perforations may be provided on the pipe wall. The method of installation includes screwing the pipe assembly down into the ground by rotating it with a drivehead and simultaneously pressure injecting cement grout inside the pipe. The structural elements including weld beads maintain the bore hole created by the rotating helix and also guide grout to flow out though the perforations and upward along the auger while spreading outward filling in the hole. Thus the engineered pipe assembly leverages the mechanical energy of drilling to pressurize grout upward and outward improving bond with soil yielding high pile capacity.

A pile shoring wall includes tangent concrete piles that are formed in the ground at an excavation site. The tangent concrete piles include a plurality of a first type of concrete piles in the ground at depths wherein the average depth is d.sub.1 and a plurality of a second type of concrete piles. The second type of concrete piles includes 10% and less than 50% of the tangent concrete piles, and each have a shaft of a helical pile secured therewithin. Each helical pile has a bottom portion with helical flights for screwing the helical pile into the ground, and each helical pile is set into the ground to a depth of at least about 2 m below d.sub.1. The helical flights of each helical pile are exposed to the surrounding soil and increase resistance below an excavation depth when the site is excavated.

A pile shoring wall includes tangent concrete piles that are formed in the ground at an excavation site. The tangent concrete piles include a plurality of a first type of concrete piles in the ground at depths wherein the average depth is d.sub.1 and a plurality of a second type of concrete piles. The second type of concrete piles includes 10% and less than 50% of the tangent concrete piles, and each have a shaft of a helical pile secured therewithin. Each helical pile has a bottom portion with helical flights for screwing the helical pile into the ground, and each helical pile is set into the ground to a depth of at least about 2 m below d.sub.1. The helical flights of each helical pile are exposed to the surrounding soil and increase resistance below an excavation depth when the site is excavated.

A recyclable pile foundation is provided. The recyclable pile foundation includes several inner cylinders, several outer cylinders and several reciprocating components which are circumferentially distributed between the inner cylinders and the outer cylinders. Each reciprocating component includes several steel collars, a push-pull rod, a hold component and at least one motion component. The motion components are distributed along the push-pull rod. Each motion component includes at least one triangular connection plate, several connection rods, an inner wedge block, an outer wedge block, a motion block and a pointed rod. When the push-pull rod is pushed along its own axis to the pushed position, the pointed rod protrudes from the outer cylinders to increases the friction between the surrounding soil and the recyclable pile foundation. When the push-poll rod is pulled along its own axis to the pulled position, the pointed rods retract back into the outer cylinders.

A recyclable pile foundation is provided. The recyclable pile foundation includes several inner cylinders, several outer cylinders and several reciprocating components which are circumferentially distributed between the inner cylinders and the outer cylinders. Each reciprocating component includes several steel collars, a push-pull rod, a hold component and at least one motion component. The motion components are distributed along the push-pull rod. Each motion component includes at least one triangular connection plate, several connection rods, an inner wedge block, an outer wedge block, a motion block and a pointed rod. When the push-pull rod is pushed along its own axis to the pushed position, the pointed rod protrudes from the outer cylinders to increases the friction between the surrounding soil and the recyclable pile foundation. When the push-poll rod is pulled along its own axis to the pulled position, the pointed rods retract back into the outer cylinders.

An automated control system for a screw anchor driving and truss assembly machine. A positioning subsystem determines an orientation of a machine mast's driving axis relative to an intended drive axis and controls the mast to align with the intended drive axis. After a pair of adjacent screw anchors are drive, the controller orients the mast so that an alignment jig for supporting truss apex hardware is held relative to a predetermined point in space.

An automated control system for a screw anchor driving and truss assembly machine. A positioning subsystem determines an orientation of a machine mast's driving axis relative to an intended drive axis and controls the mast to align with the intended drive axis. After a pair of adjacent screw anchors are drive, the controller orients the mast so that an alignment jig for supporting truss apex hardware is held relative to a predetermined point in space.

A robotics-assisted foundation installation system is provided in which data reporting the X, Y, and Z positions of foundation column tops are sent from a total surveying station to a grid control system. The grid control system receives the data and associates specific data with specific columns in an array - the “grid.” The grid control system compares the actual positions of the columns in the grid to target positions that were determined based on the requirements of the structure to be supported. After determining differences between the actual positions and the target positions, the grid control system sends instructions to column positioning tools associated with the individual columns. Actuators in a column positioning tool are directed by the grid control system to adjust the position of the associated column. Once the live streamed data confirms that each column is in the proper position, the columns are fixed in place.

A robotics-assisted foundation installation system is provided in which data reporting the X, Y, and Z positions of foundation column tops are sent from a total surveying station to a grid control system. The grid control system receives the data and associates specific data with specific columns in an array - the “grid.” The grid control system compares the actual positions of the columns in the grid to target positions that were determined based on the requirements of the structure to be supported. After determining differences between the actual positions and the target positions, the grid control system sends instructions to column positioning tools associated with the individual columns. Actuators in a column positioning tool are directed by the grid control system to adjust the position of the associated column. Once the live streamed data confirms that each column is in the proper position, the columns are fixed in place.

A geothermal pile for harvesting electricity from a gradient of temperature between ambient air and an underground area is provided. The geothermal pile includes an elongated thermally-conductive body, a thermoelectric cell and an electrical output. The elongated thermally-conductive body has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The second end is configured to be introduced, in use, into an underground area. The thermoelectric cell is provided at the first end so as to be exposed to ambient air when the second end is introduced into the underground area. The thermoelectric cell is in thermal contact with the second end of the elongated thermally-conductive body and is configured to generate electricity from a gradient of temperature between a first temperature of the ambient air and a second temperature of the underground area. The electrical output is electrically connected to the thermoelectric cell.