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Engineered Ground Support
with Aggregate Piers

Reduce settlement. Increase bearing capacity. Build faster with CNC’s proven ground improvement systems.

CONNECT WITH YOUR LOCAL BDM

What Are Aggregate Piers?

Aggregate piers —also known as vibro stone columns (VSCs)—are compacted columns of stone installed in soft, compressible soils to improve strength, stability, and load-bearing capacity. CNC installs aggregate piers as a faster, more cost-effective alternative to deep foundations—making it possible to use shallow footings, even on challenging sites.

Ideal for soils with soft clays, silts, or uncontrolled fill, aggregate piers are installed in groups beneath structural elements like slabs, tanks, or footings. This increases allowable bearing pressure and limits settlement, helping contractors stay on schedule and within budget.

Compared to deep foundation systems, aggregate piers can be installed significantly faster—saving time on project schedules while improving site efficiency and overall construction performance.

Tailored Installation Methods for Every Site

CNC’s in-house engineering team selects the right installation method for your site based on soil conditions, groundwater, and structural load requirements.

Our most common techniques include:

Dry Top-Feed for stable soils above the water table
Dry Bottom-Feed for finer, less stable soils

In each case, our crews use specialized equipment—such as a vibroflot or displacement tooling—to tamp stone into the ground in compacted layers. The result is a dense, stiff column that strengthens the soil matrix with minimal spoils and faster install times compared to traditional deep foundation systems.

Proven Applications Across Industries

Aggregate piers are versatile, high-performance ground improvement systems used across a wide range of project types:

Industrial buildings
Warehouses and liquid storage tanks
Embankments and earthen dams
Agricultural and utility infrastructure
Structures in seismic or liquefaction-prone zones

By reinforcing poor soils, aggregate piers improve bearing performance, reduce differential settlement, and mitigate seismic or hydrostatic risks—providing a stable foundation under virtually any condition.

Let’s Build Something Solid

Need to stabilize soft soils without the time and cost of deep foundations? CNC’s aggregate piers deliver engineered performance, customized to your site conditions, budget, and timeline.

CONNECT WITH YOUR LOCAL BDM

524+

Aggregate Pier Projects Completed since 2010

Why Choose CNC Foundations?

U.S.A. founded & operated, CNC’s in-house engineering team works directly with our union field crews to deliver aggregate pier systems tailored to your site and specs. We bring decades of experience, certified installation methods, and a national fleet of company-owned rigs to every job, so you get schedule confidence, cost control, and engineered performance from day one.

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Applications for Aggregate Piers

Vibratory aggregate columns have been used to increase bearing capacity, decrease settlement, and mitigate liquefaction potential for all types of planned structures, including industrial buildings, embankments, dams, agriculture structures, tanks, and towers. In terms of functionality, vibro-piers:

A chart showing how Aggregate Piers look from a side view

Amplify weight-bearing abilities:

Vibro-piers are an excellent solution for soil and foundations that are uneven, unpredictable, or made up of layers of varying material.

Minimize settlement:

As each pier is driven into the soil, loose granular particles are compressed, creating a more sound and compact foundation on which to build.

Deter liquefaction:

As non-liquefiable structures in potentially liquefiable foundations, VSCs are extremely effective in mitigating potential damage from water pressure, seismic movement, and general stress.

Foundation Strength in Action

Aggregate piers strengthen weak soils by increasing bearing capacity and reducing settlement—making it possible to use shallow foundations even in soft or unstable conditions. Installed quickly and with minimal spoils, they help contractors stay on schedule without the cost of deep foundations.

Job Types and Special Aggregate Pier Design Considerations

Aggregate piers are extremely versatile in terms of project use. Whether they are leveraged to create a foundation on which to build or to fortify existing soil with unknown or mixed density, vibro-piers are an effective solution to create lasting strength. Regardless of slope or seismic activity, VSCs create foundations capable of accommodating extreme bearing pressure.