Wick Drains (Prefabricated Vertical Drains)
Wick Drains (prefabricated vertical drains) are a cost-effective solution for accelerating the consolidation of fine grained soils to expedite construction and limit long-term settlement. For projects being constructed on soft soil, Wick Drains are used to remove the excess water, consolidate the compressible soil and induce settlement. This allows construction to begin in one to three months instead of up to 12 months or longer. Using Wick Drains as a drainage path to reduce the water content also strengthens the underlying soil to accommodate superimposed loads and minimize future settlement.
Menard Vertical Wick Drains
Menard uses state-of-the-art Vertical Wick Drains designed with high water flow capacity, high-resistance filtration properties and durable construction. The company has developed its own range of Vertical Wick Drain installation equipment to meet a wide variety of soil and site conditions. The company uses static and vibratory methods to install Vertical Wick Drains and has considerable experience in penetrating difficult surface layers including preaugering through stiff clays and special downhole drilling to penetrate rubble, concrete, slag and other types of fill. Menard has angled Wick Drains up to 30 degrees and installed Wick Drains in low headroom areas.
Vertical Wick Drain Applications
- Building Foundations
- Warehouses
- Storage Tanks
- Bridge Abutments
- Highway Embankments
- Roads
- Retaining Walls
- MSE Walls
- Airport Runways
- Marine Terminals
- Dams
- Levees
- Waste Sites
Download the Wick Drain Product Sheet (PDF)