Verify pile deviations in the field, check interrow drainage slopes, and generate as-built reports before the grading crew demobilizes. On a 200-acre site, that process takes four hours — not three days.
On a 200-acre site with 2,000+ piles, manually pulling stick-up shots into a spreadsheet and comparing to design takes two or three people multiple days. Meanwhile, non-conforming piles age and the correction window closes as tracker installation begins.
Ponding between tracker rows causes erosion, panel soiling, and access problems during wet weather. Drainage slope that looks acceptable by eye can be 0.5–1% below minimum — a deficiency that requires expensive re-grading after substantial completion.
When an NCR is issued for an out-of-tolerance pile, the contractor needs to demonstrate exactly which piles were measured, what the deviations were, what corrective action was taken, and when. That documentation does not exist in a spreadsheet that was built the week after installation.
Import the design pile file. Enter stick-up elevations in the field on a phone or tablet. Sitemark calculates deviation from design for every pile and flags non-conforming piles in real time. The deviation report is ready before the grading crew leaves the site.
Log drainage shots between rows. Sitemark calculates actual slope and flags any row that falls below the design minimum. Catch deficiencies while regrading is still part of the normal work scope — not a separate mobilization.
Every pile measurement is timestamped, linked to a pile ID, and permanently stored. When an NCR is issued, the corrective action and re-measurement are linked to the original record. The complete chain is exportable at any time.
Import design CSV, log field elevations, and generate a per-pile deviation report organized by row and string.
Verify drainage slope between tracker rows from field shots — flags rows below design minimum.
Link corrective actions and re-measurements to original non-conforming records — full audit trail.
Export formatted as-built covering pile installation and grading for owner and construction lender review.
Bring in total station data collector exports without reformatting — works with any instrument brand.
Organize documentation by project phase: grading, piling, and commissioning in separate record sets.
We had 2,400 piles on a 200-acre solar site. Before Sitemark, two guys were manually pulling shots into a spreadsheet and comparing to design for three days straight. Now the deviation check runs in the field and we have a compliant as-built before the crew demobs. Four hours, not three days.
Mike T.
Grading Contractor
Solar grading · Phoenix, AZ
Most tracker manufacturers specify pile position tolerance of ±1 inch horizontal and ±0.5 inch vertical for stick-up elevation relative to design. Deviation from design azimuth is typically ±1 degree. Always verify against your specific tracker manufacturer specification — tolerances vary by system type.
Pile deviation documentation for owner submittals typically includes pile ID, design position, field-measured position, deviation in X, Y, and Z, and pass/fail relative to tracker tolerance. Sitemark imports the as-staked pile CSV, compares to the design file, and generates a deviation report organized by row and string.
Minimum interrow drainage slope is typically 1.5–2% on most utility-scale solar projects, depending on soil type and storm event design criteria. Slopes below minimum allow ponding that causes panel soiling, erosion undercutting foundations, and O&M access problems in wet conditions.
Yes. Sitemark handles pile deviation reports and grading as-builts in the same job. Log pile stick-up elevations, compare to design, then log interrow drainage shots and verify slope. Both reports export together for owner or lender as-built submittal.
Sitemark gives solar EPC contractors the tools to verify pile installation and drainage slope in the field and deliver as-built documentation the same day.