If you are planning big construction projects, you must make sure that tall structures stand strong and stable on weak soil. The solution is pile driving. We are a professional construction equipment solutions provider. Today, we will explain to you the meaning of pile driving and the types of machines you require.
You will also learn common pile driving methods, which you can use for strong and safe building foundations.
What is Pile Driving?
Pile driving is the construction process in which you push or hammer long poles into the ground. For this purpose, you can use special machines. Mostly, you can follow this technique when you need a strong base for tall buildings, bridges and docks near the water. This type of pilling method protects your buildings from danger such as earthquakes.
What Are Driven Piles?
Driven piles are strong and long columns which pile driver operators push into the surface with a heavy hammer. They are made of wood, concrete, timber, steel or can be a mixture of these materials. Once you drive them deep, they give your structure a solid base and stop it from falling down.
What Does a Pile Driver Do?
A machine which is used to push piles deep into soil is known as pile driver. It has the ability to hit, push and shake the piles until they are strong and stable. Pile drivers will be your ideal choice to build bridges and other big structures with a solid base.
Traditional Pile Drivers
These are old-style machines that drop heavy weights on the top of the pile to push it down. It operates with power of hydraulics, steam or diesel. Usually, they work with simple levers and pulleys. You can use traditional pile drivers for your small projects.
Vibratory Pile Drivers/Vibratory Pile Driving
Vibratory pile drivers work on the base of fast up and down vibration. They are also called Vibro hammers or vibratory hammers. Its vibration power shakes the pile and makes soil loose. That’s why it is more suitable for sandy soil.
In this way, you can easily install different piles such as sheet piles, H beams and pipes into place. Also, this tool works with a hydraulic motor and special weights (spinning counterweights) that actually create the shaking.
Parts of a Pile Driver
Lead
The lead is the long frame of the pile driver. It holds and stabilizes both equipment: the hammer and the pile. Further, it keeps them in the right place and everything straight. In this way, you can control the movement of piles. You can set the pile into the ground at the correct angle.
Hammer Cushion
You will find a hammer cushion in the center of the hammer and the pile cap. The main function of this cushion is to absorb shocks when a hammer strikes. It protects hammers and piles also, so energy transfers more evenly into the pile.
Helmet
It is a heavy cap that is installed on top of the pile. The helmet spreads the hammer’s force equally over the top of the pile. With a helmet, you can prevent the pile from breaking & cracking when you drive it into the surface.
Pile Cushion
The pile cushion is positioned on top of the pile, usually right under the helmet. It reduces the impact of the hammer and keeps the head of the pile safe as well. Additionally, it controls the hit and lets the energy flow smoothly into the pile.
Pile Driving Methods
You can do pile driving in many ways and each method has work on the basis of different force or technique.
- Impact Driving: In this method, you can hit the pile with a heavy hammer. You should apply force until the pile completely penetrates deep into the soil.
- Press in Method (Jacking): With hydraulic jacks, you need to push the pile into the surface. You will notice no hammering or vibration. Hence, it makes less noise and causes less disturbance.
- Jetting: This piling technique is suitable for hard soil. You use high pressure water or air at the pile top. It makes soil soft, so you can penetrate the pile into earth easily.
- Drilling and Driving: By following this method, you first drill a hole in the ground and then place the pile inside it. After that, you can drive the pile deeper to make it stable and secure.
What is Pile Driving Equipment
Pile driving equipment refers to machine & tools you can use to install piles into ground during construction. With pile driving equipment, you will get a stable and strong foundation for your buildings or bridges structures. These machines operate with power systems that can be diesel, hydraulics or vibration. Following are the main purposes of pile driving equipment.
- They drive piles according to your required depth into soil
- With these machines, you can reduce soil resistance.
- Pile equipment makes piles installation strong enough to carry heavy loads.
Example of Pile Driving Equipment
Below is the list of commonly used pile driving equipment. They are categorized due to their unique features, applications and power usage.
- Vibratory pile hammer
- Hydraulic Impact Pile Hammer
- Rotary drilling rig
- Augers & drilling buckets
- Piling rigs
Advantages of driven Piles
Among the various foundation options, a driven pile is one of the most common and widely used methods. This is a reliable technique because of its strength and consistent performance in many soil conditions. Following are major benefits of driven piles.
- Easy installation
- Higher load-bearing capacity
- Stable foundation support
- Suitable For different soil types
- Affordable method
- Minimal disturbance
- Best for marine projects (groundwater)
- Maintain pile shape for long time
Piling Machine Price
The purchasing rate of piling machines can be different. Because, the cost mostly depends on its size, manufacturing company, capacity and type (model) you want to buy.
However, we can provide you with a general price range which is $2000 to $150000+. Furthermore, smaller machines are more affordable, while large and powerful ones cost you much more.
Common Questions Asked By Users
What is Pile Length?
Pile length means the total measurement of the pile which you can count its top to the bottom. The rough estimate for pile length is 15 to 50 meters or more. Because, it can vary based on soil conditions and how deep the pile needs to go.
What is PDA Driving?
PDA driving stands for pile driving analyzer test. You can use this method to check how accurately a pile is driven into the ground. You can also measure things like strength, capacity and stress on the pile while driving.
How Loud is Pile Driving?
You will find pile driving extremely loud due to its repeated hammering or vibrations. Generally, the noise level can be around 110 to 120 dB. Hence, you must wear ear protection and noise control measures at the working site.
What is Pile Driving Tolerances?
It means acceptable limits for pile placement during installation. For example: how much a pile you can shift from its planned position, angle or depth. You are allowed only a 3-inch shift or a slight tilt in the pile (1 in 75 from vertical).
How Long Does Pile Driving Take?
Well, the pile installation time depends on the soil, pile size plus equipment. In many cases, one driving pile may take about a few hours. For a full project with many piles, your work may last for many months.
Wrapping It Up
We hope now you are well aware about pile driving and its different techniques. As you can see, this process is ideal for creating strong and safe foundations for different types of buildings, bridges and docks.
You must select pile driving equipment and methods according to site surface condition and project demands. For further inquiries related to pile driving or construction products solution, you can contact us now.
