Traditionally, a building being raised is moved temporarily from its original footprint while a new foundation is constructed, since large pile driving equipment cannot otherwise gain access. Many of the Jersey Shore homes are owned by families unable to afford such costly upgrading. With thousands of homes needing repairs, the construction industry has been unable to meet the need with traditional methods and equipment. The LoClear® system is about to change all of that. The LoClear® Topp Machine® (The Original Pile Planer) mills the butt ends of new and existing nine to eleven-inch piles to a perfect cylinder and planes the end surface. The system connects the newly milled piles with structural steel sleeves utilizing bolts or epoxy resin and steel rebar. All of this can be accomplished in a low clearance work site – regardless of whether the existing foundation is timber pilings or is being replaced by timber pilings. The TOPP Machine® is paired with a pneumatic driving hammer capable of running off a small air compressor. The LoClear® system can be used to remediate foundations on any raised structure, to repair butt ends of timber piles under bridges and buildings and in marine construction. The best and most economical solution for replacing a traditional foundation in flood zones is still, and always will be, timber pilings.
