Are there any advantages in using Pearson Pilings for a house foundation in a seismically active area?
I will try to answer your question about seismic issues as well as I can. Our pilings are frequently used for building foundations in flood zones and high wind zones (>100 mph 3 second gusts). Generally speaking, our composite piles are the same stiffness as a comparable diameter wood pile while having approximately the same compressive and tensile properties of steel. The elastic deformation limits of our composite pile are much higher than those of concrete, steel or wood, so I would think our piles would be much more durable in a seismic event. I think the low mass of the composite pile may have a beneficial effect but the greatest benefit would probably be compliance during the shock wave.
