Alternative to Concrete Obs / Pier Footings - A Case Study

[Racey]

For those of you considering observatory or pier installations, the following thread on Cloudy Nights may interest...

http://www.cloudynights.com/topic/568453-alternative-to-concrete-obs-pier-footings-a-case-study/#entry7735391

I'm not sure if equivalent caps are available in Europe, or if SureFoot technology is available in the Northern Hemisphere. But it is going to be interesting finding out...

[Kropster]

Nice product, but you need to be really, really sure there are no drains or services lurking nearby!

[Racey]

9 minutes ago, Kropster said:

Nice product, but you need to be really, really sure there are no drains or services lurking nearby!

I guess, in the vast under developed tracts of Australia, that's not quite the same issue as we have on our small over crowded isle...

[Peter Drew]

On the theme of alternative technology for pier mounted telescopes I have a 8.5" F12.5 refractor and a 16" SCT each mounted on their individual free standing units. The base of each is formed by a square of 4 50mmX600mmx600mm paving slabs to which is centrally bolted a single slab. On top of the single slab there is a 1.8m high pier of standard concrete blocks arrange in a build up of pairs for the refractor and a hollow 0.5m square section of concrete blocks x 0.7m for the 16". Both constructions are as rigid as anything else I've tried. Both scopes are in observatories and the floors are clear of the pier bases.    

[Alan White]

That's interesting on both ideas.

Peter Drew, do you have a picture you would be able to share?

[michael8554]

Neat, but one of the comments was:

Nice idea! Only draw back is you have to have ground that doesnt have a lot of moisture content and it doesnt ever freeze. Otherwise either of those will move the pier. But for dry and hot locations this should work great

Should be good for the UK then............

Michael

[Peter Drew]

I'm afraid not Alan, the relevant details are now under the floor. Constructed about 10 years ago and no evidence of movement. 

[iapa]

7 hours ago, Peter Drew said:

I'm afraid not Alan, the relevant details are now under the floor. Constructed about 10 years ago and no evidence of movement. 

something like this perhaps? I was thinking about thi sort of thing as an option as I have plenty of slabs, and about 300 bricks, that I will have when I take the ratio away to build the observatory.

[Peter Drew]

Yes Alan, that's exactly it, the corners of the upper single slab are bolted to the inner cportions of the 4 lower slabs. The bricks in my construction are standard 450mm concrete blocks. The combined weight plus the large footprint have made a very stable pier. 

[iapa]

2 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

Yes Alan, that's exactly it, the corners of the upper single slab are bolted to the inner cportions of the 4 lower slabs. The bricks in my construction are standard 450mm concrete blocks. The combined weight plus the large footprint have made a very stable pier. 

Ah - I'll redo drag - the concrete blocks I show were 210 x 100 x 440 

 

PS it was @Alan White asked for an image ) - I just posted one of my older attempts, bat thanks for confirming my concept was good :)Now to get my not so tame civil engineer to give it a once over.

[Peter Drew]

Oops. Apologies "iapa" Thanks for the illustration.