Case Study
White Sands Solar Project
Situation
White Sands Missile Range, a U.S. Army military testing and firing range in New Mexico, undertook an energy resilience and conservation investment to build out a microgrid. The project called for a 700 kW Brilliant Rack PV solar system. Given the site conditions, pull testing was performed to determine pile requirements, which confirmed that 17'6" piles were needed to support the racking system.
Scope of Work
Cantsink was engaged to install both the piles and the racking system. Wolf Engineering and Foundation Firm provided the engineering behind the pile design. Cantsink installed 193 W8x10 piles at 17'6" in length to support the 700 kW Brilliant Rack system. W-beams were driven for posts, then the racking was installed, most of which had been pre- assembled. Then the panels were installed. Every bolt used had a torque requirement that was inspected by a vendor appointed third party.
Anchors
- Pile type: W8x10
- Pile length: 17'6"
- Quantity: 193 piles
- Determined via pull testing to meet site-specific load requirements
Result
Cantsink delivered a foundation system engineered to withstand the demanding conditions of a military testing range, supporting a 700 kW Brilliant Rack solar installation as part of White Sands Missile Range's broader energy resilience and conservation initiative. The pull-tested pile design ensured the racking system met the structural requirements of the site, reinforcing Cantsink's ability to deliver dependable helical pile solutions for large-scale, mission-critical government solar projects. Stingent third party inspections confirmed the work was accomplished as required. Safety was a priority, particularly due to the high winds on many days .
