MB Western Industrial Contracting Co.
MB Western Industrial Contracting Co.
MB Western Industrial Contracting Co.
MB Western Industrial Contracting Co.
Civil, Piling & Marine Construction
Civil, Piling & Marine Construction
Civil, Piling & Marine Construction
Civil, Piling & Marine Construction
Safety, Quality, Experience & Value
Safety, Quality, Experience & Value
Safety, Quality, Experience & Value
Safety, Quality, Experience & Value
“Safety Drives Our Success”
“Safety Drives Our Success”
“Safety Drives Our Success”
Phone: 281-487-5757
www.mbwestern.com
“Safety Drives Our Success”
Phone: 281-487-5757
www.mbwestern.com
Phone: 281-487-5757
www.mbwestern.com
Phone: 281-487-5757
www.mbwestern.com
PILE DRIVING PROCESS
piles actually drive on the site since subsurface
conditions almost inevitably vary.
The probe piles can possibly be production
piles. Use as production piles saves
money but requires that the foundation
design be far enough along to accurately
define pile placement and that the probe
piles will achieve sufficient capacity
based on the subsequent pile load testing.
The probe pile program allows evaluation
of the pile driving system being
supplied by the contractor. This is typically
done using a PDA during driving of
the probe piles (ASTM D4945). By using
the PDA, accurate estimates are made of
the energy transferred into the pile, the
actual driving stresses in the pile and the
ultimate pile capacity. The probe piles
can also indicate the range of pile lengths
that will be required for all the production
piles. This is particularly important
if precast concrete piles are used so that
order lengths are established for the production
piles.
Measuring the energy transferred into
the pile is very significant since the efficiency
of any pile hammer can vary by
more than a factor of two. This efficiency
variation depends not only on the make
and model of the hammer, which are
known parameters, but, equally importantly,
on the hammer’s on-site maintenance.
If the hammer is operating at very
low transfer energy, the subsequent test
piles driven to the preliminary criteria
will have insufficient capacity. A failing
load test would have to be repeated, causing
time delays to the project and additional
costs.
PDA tests should be repeated on several
of the probe piles as part of a retap program
to determine if either pile setup is
occurring or some relaxation has resulted
with time. Although it is best to wait
92 | ISSUE 4 2020 www.piledrivers.org
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