To provide protection and flexibility for seasonal needs, the agricultural sector relies on storage buildings for equipment, livestock shelters, and temporary crop storage. Farmers often use storage buildings such as sheds or warehouses to store and organize farming equipment, tools, machinery, and supplies.
There are many reasons why these farm structures need to be secured to the ground and stabilized, including:
• Protecting farm workers, equipment, livestock, and crops from accidents due to unstable structures
• Preventing liability, tipping, shifting, or structural collapse during strong winds or storms
• Securing buildings to the ground to enhance structural stability, especially in areas prone to seismic activity or soil erosion
• Meeting building code, public safety, or insurance requirements
Although the technology or methodology utilized to secure a farm structure can take many forms, an increasingly popular and economic solution to this issue is earth anchors. These heavy-duty aluminum anchors are driven or screwed into the ground and attached to structures using cables, straps, or brackets. The anchors can be easily installed into sand, soil, hardpan, asphalt, and even underwater.
As an example, Penetrators from Rhode Island-based American Earth Anchors are screw anchors made of heat-treated 356 aluminum that can be installed with a portable impact wrench, machine PTO drive fitted with a suitable tool, or the company’s manual ratcheting T-Handle. The screw anchors are available in lengths from 9” to 46” and can provide 2,500 to 14,000 lbs. of holding power in asphalt or hard pan soil.
There are other types of earth anchors. Bullet anchors, named for their bullet shape, are ideal for holding in tough soil such as hard clay, gravel, or soil intermixed with roots. An anchor is connected to a galvanized steel aircraft cable (typically available in 36, 60 and 120” lengths, but customizable) that attaches to the structure.
Similarly, arrowhead anchors offer superior holding in hard, compact, and rocky soil. Once in the earth, the anchor twists like a toggle bolt and will not release from the ground without cutting the cable or digging it out. The arrowheads come in 4, 6, 8, and 10-inch sizes with 48, 60, 72, and 120-inch galvanized steel aircraft cable as standard. Custom cable lengths and stainless cable are available for special order.
While portability, ease of installation, and cost effectiveness may be the foundation of temporary farm storage structures’ popularity, earth anchors matched to the specific conditions of use will help to ensure that the structures remain securely and safely grounded.
For more information: call 866-520-8511; visit amercanearthanchors.com.