Hexagon Technology
Whenever we are faced with the challenge of developing a new product design, the first place we often look to for design efficiency and strength is nature.
Of all the shapes found in nature the hexagon is considered to be one of the strongest structures. There are many examples of a hexagon in nature: a beehive honeycomb, micrograph of a snowflake, naturally formed basalt columns, crystal structure of a molecular hexagon, and the scute of a turtle.
At the request of the USMC, Pre-con Products developed the HEXA-CON foundation system to met the needs of their remote communication sites. The parameters of the project were to provide a precast matt footing designed not penetrate below ground, capable of being deployed to remote locations via helicopter and supporting lattice and monopole communication towers up to 200 feet tall.
A Look Inside the Hexa-con
Pre-con’s unique interlocking hexagon shaped precast concrete modular footing is combined with a post tensioning cable system to produce a matt foundation superior to any other precast foundation system. The individual precast HEXA-CON block sections are posted tensioned together into a monolithic concrete matt using multiple encapsulated post tension cables running in three different directions through each block, on two levels. The resulting design provides a scalable foundation that can be varied in size to meet project specific requirements. The system is intuitively simple and speedily assembled . The system also includes universal interface between the tower base plate and the footing anchor bolts that allowed for greater alignment variance typically encountered in field construction.
Transparant HEXA-BLOCK showing internal post tension conduits depicting the patented interlocking matt foundation system
A Look at Post Tension
Post tensioned cables connect, the HEXA-CON precast blocks together to form a reinforced, level matte foundation on the surface
L: Securing post tension cables to end anchors easily completed with hand tools.R: Hydraulic tensioned in the field is simple and quick
