Daytona Beach, Florida
The Project
The Challenge
The Solution
FREE INSPECTION REQUEST
Market: Government
Solution: Category: Foundation Repair & Structural Underpinning
Services: Galvanized Steel Helical Piers
Jackie Robinson Ballpark is more than a sports venue. It is a place of local pride and historical importance, and the architectural details surrounding the grounds contribute to the visitor experience. At public facilities like this, even decorative structures matter because they help establish the quality, care, and identity of the space.
The project centered on a decorative column outside the ballpark that had started to settle. While the movement may have appeared modest at first glance, the client correctly recognized that settlement rarely improves on its own. Instead, columns, monuments, and architectural site features often continue to lean or sink once support is lost beneath them.
The client’s goals were clear:
Because this was one of the first elements people see when entering the commemorative park, the repair also needed to protect the visual quality of the entrance.
Why a Settling Column Is a Serious Foundation Repair Issue
A decorative column might not seem as complex as a full building foundation, but structurally it presents many of the same concerns. A column concentrates load into a relatively small footprint. If the soil beneath that footprint weakens, settles, or shifts, the structure above responds quickly.
Common symptoms of settlement in columns and site features include:
In public-facing spaces, those issues matter for more than aesthetics. A visibly moving column can raise concerns about safety, maintenance standards, and long-term durability. That is why this project required a true foundation repair solution, not just a cosmetic correction.
Although the structural scope was relatively focused, the project still presented challenges that required experience and field discipline.
The largest challenge encountered during the job was rain. Weather can complicate layout, access, surface conditions, and equipment handling, especially on outdoor public-site work. Wet conditions also tend to slow crews down and make it harder to maintain pace without sacrificing precision.
In this case, however, the Helicon team stayed on track and completed the planned work the same day. fileciteturn47file0 That matters because public and government projects often depend on efficient mobilization and quick completion.
This was not a back-of-property utility repair. It was a structural issue involving one of the first things visitors see when they approach the ballpark. That meant the repair needed to be both effective and clean. The finished result had to support the client’s expectation that the column would look properly supported and no longer appear uneven.
Columns place their loads in very localized areas. That means underpinning has to be accurate. The support system needs to be placed where it can intercept the load path and create a dependable structural correction. On a job like this, even a seemingly small repair requires careful planning.
Why Helical Piers Were the Right Solution
Helicon selected galvanized steel helical piers because they are one of the most effective tools available for localized foundation repair and underpinning. Helical piers are steel shafts with helical plates that are advanced into the ground by rotation until they reach soils with suitable load-bearing capacity.
Precision for Localized Foundation Repair
Because the column load was concentrated in a small area, the repair required a deep support method that could be installed precisely. Helical piers allow crews to create a new load path below weak near-surface soils and into stronger bearing strata.
Ideal for Underpinning Existing Structures
This was an existing feature that had already moved. That is exactly the type of condition where underpinning becomes valuable. Instead of rebuilding the column from scratch, the helical pier system provides a way to stabilize and support what is already there.
Efficient Installation
Helical pier systems can often be installed faster and with less disruption than more invasive alternatives. For a public facility, that is a major benefit.
Corrosion Resistance
Because the specified piers were galvanized steel, they provide additional durability for long-term performance in Florida’s humid and storm-prone environment.
To correct the sinking column, Helicon installed two galvanized steel helical piers beneath the structure. Although the total pier count was modest, the impact of the work was significant because it addressed the actual cause of the movement: inadequate support beneath the column base.
The two-pier underpinning system was designed to:
The client’s expectation was that the column would be straightened and supported, and the installed helical piers provided the structural mechanism to achieve that outcome.
Although the original field summary is concise, the repair process itself follows a disciplined sequence typical of helical pier work.
Before installation, the team would identify the optimal locations for the helical piers beneath or adjacent to the column support area. Since the structure had already begun to settle, placement needed to be coordinated to provide effective underpinning beneath the active load path.
Using specialized equipment, the crew rotated each helical pier into the ground. The helical plates allow the pier to advance through the soil and develop capacity as it reaches stronger bearing layers.
Once properly installed, the piers function as a deeper support system for the column. This helps bypass weaker or shifting near-surface soils and reduces the chance that the column will continue settling.
Despite weather-related difficulty, the team completed the planned work in a single day—an important performance factor for public-facing jobs.
Many people associate underpinning only with homes or large commercial buildings. In reality, it is just as valuable for smaller but prominent structural features like columns, monuments, entry walls, and signage supports.
Once these elements begin to settle, they rarely self-correct. And because they are often located in highly visible areas, even small amounts of movement can affect how the entire site is perceived.
This project shows how helical piers can be used effectively in a targeted foundation repair application to preserve a public landmark feature before the problem grows larger.
Helicon is Florida’s trusted expert in foundation repair, helical piers, underpinning, soil stabilization, concrete lifting, and sinkhole remediation. We work with government agencies, commercial owners, and homeowners across the state to deliver engineered repair solutions that stabilize structures from the ground up.
If you are dealing with a settling column, monument, entry feature, or structural site element in Daytona Beach or Volusia County, Helicon can help. Our team provides professional foundation repair, underpinning, and helical pier solutions for public, commercial, and residential properties throughout Florida.
Call 844-HELICON today to schedule your free inspection and learn how targeted deep foundation repair can protect your structure before the damage becomes more severe.
FREE INSPECTION REQUEST