New and innovative alternatives to traditional substructures are available when determining the foundation design for boardwalks or viewing platforms. These alternatives can help minimize ground disturbance, be more cost effective, and provide greater life expectancy in wet and sensitive environments.

References

Steinholz, Robert T.; Vachowski, Brian. 2007. Wetland trail design and construction, 2007 edition. 0723–2804P–MTDC. Missoula, MT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Missoula Technology and Development Center. 90 p. Available at http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs/htmlpubs/htm07232804/index.htm.

Jerry D. Barrow joined the Trails Unlimited enterprise team in 2007 as a civil engineer specializing in trail bridge construction. Barrow began his career with the Forest Service in 1985 after 8 years in the private sector and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He earned degrees in forestry and civil engineering from Virginia Tech and the University of Tennessee. He has worked on the Cherokee, Chattahoochee-Oconee, and George Washington National Forests. He served as the project construction engineer for the 1996 Olympic Venue at the Cherokee National Forest.

James Scott Groenier began working for MTDC in 2003 as a civil engineer. Groenier earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and a master's degree from Montana State University. He worked for the Wisconsin and Illinois State Departments of Transportation before starting his career with the Forest Service. He worked as the east zone structural engineer for the Eastern Region and as a civil engineer for the Ashley and Tongass National Forests.

Library Card

Barrow, Jerry D.; Groenier, James Scott. 2012. Innovative foundations for boardwalks and viewing platforms. Tech Tip
1223–2310P–MTDC. Missoula, MT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Missoula Technology and Development
Center. 12 p.

Helical piles and prefabricated concrete foundations are two innovative methods used for constructing elevated boardwalk
and viewing platform foundations across areas with standing water. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,
Trails Unlimited enterprise team used these methods on three projects. This tech tip provides step-by-step descriptions of
these installations and explains some advantages and disadvantages of using helical piles or prefabricated concrete foundations.

Keywords: boardwalks, elevated boardwalks, foundations, helical piles, prefabricated concrete foundations, standing
water, viewing platforms

Additional single copies of this document may be ordered from:
USDA Forest Service
Missoula Technology and Development Center
5785 Hwy. 10 West
Missoula, MT 59808–9361
Phone: 406–329–3978
Fax: 406–329–3719
Email: wo_mtdc_pubs@fs.fed.us

Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management employees can search National Technology and Development documents, CDs, DVDs, and videos on their internal computer networks at:
http://fsweb.mtdc.wo.fs.fed.us/search/

For additional technical information, contact MTDC:
Phone: 406–329–3900
Fax: 406–329–3719

Electronic copies of National Technology and Development documents are available on the Internet at:
http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs
http://fsweb.sdtdc.wo.fs.fed.us/