What is Piling?
Piling is the initial support that is implemented to form the foundations for a construction project, such as a building or another type of structure. It is vital that you have the correct piling equipment before beginning construction work. The most common materials which are used for piling are wood, steel or concrete. All of these materials are solid and substantial which is crucial to ensuring that a structure has safe foundations that will support it and not move or collapse.
The process of piling consists of driving large pieces of your chosen material – wood, steel or concrete – into the ground to a suitable depth. This creates a sturdy platform on which the structure will rest. The piling needs to be carried out correctly, to ensure that the foundations of the structure are secure.
There is also a lot of initial planning and measuring to be done before construction can even begin. For instance, the condition of the ground needs to be taken into consideration. There is no point in driving piles into wet, loose soil as they will not stay in place. Piling is an extremely skilled job and should only be undertaken by a qualified piling contractor.
Piling Methods
The purpose of pile foundations is to transfer the weight of a structure to the bearing ground which is located beneath the surface. The key components of pile foundations are the piles themselves and the pile caps which are connected when the piles are driven into the ground.
There are several factors which need to be considered when choosing the method of pile installation in order to avoid causing any damage to the piles. The size and weight of the pile, the resistance that occurs when driving the pile, the amount of space and headroom on the site, access to cranes and any possible noise restrictions all need to be taken into account.
Pile driving methods can be split into two categories; displacement piles and non-displacement piles. Displacement piles can be driven using dropping weight, explosion, vibration, jacking (micro piling only) or jetting. Non displacement pile methods are continuous flight auger (CFA), underreaming and C.H.D.P.
Economic Recovery having positive effect on Construction Companies
Now that the economic situation in the UK is beginning to improve, construction companies are already seeing the benefits. Many businesses were being forced into insolvency but now the numbers have begun to drop. In the third quarter of last year 16% which is more than any other business sector. However this number is 18% lower than the previous quarter and 29% less than it was during the same time period last year.
It is not all good news however, as the Government’s plans to make heavy cuts on the public sector which will have major effects on many businesses. The construction industry will as suffer as a high proportion of contracts come from this area of business.
Improvements in property development have also fallen rapidly but it has been reported that this is due to support from banks and investors rather than the upswing of the real estate industry. Property values have not increased but actually declined, particularly in the case of secondary properties.
Sheet Pile Driving Methods
There are three methods of sheet pile driving the use of which depends on the conditions of the ground that is being built upon.
The first method is pitch and drive which is appropriate for when using short piles and on loose soils. Each pile needs to be driven into the ground to its full depth before beginning to pitch the next pile.
Panel driving is a method which ensures that each pile is aligned properly and with good vertical positioning. This technique decreases the possibility of driving difficulties and any issues with de-clutching. The advantages of using this system of sheet pile driving is that piles can be left without being fully driven in and work can continue without any disruptions.
If your site is located on difficult ground conditions such as dense sand, gravel or rock then staggered driving is ideal. This involves driving the piles between guide frames and installation is split into steps. For example, begin by driving piles 1, 3 and 5 followed by 2 and 4. Piles 1, 3 and 5 can be reinforced at the toe.
Piling Contractors
Piling contractors are employed to implement extra support at the foundations of a new building. This support comes in the form of large, robust columns that are driven into the ground. Piling is usually only required when the site on which a building is being constructed is uneven. Seek advice from the architect or whoever is in charge of the build to confirm whether or not piling is needed to be done.
Construction piling and any other type of construction work should only be undertaken by qualified piling contractors. It is crucial that piling is completed to a safe standard. There are many piling options available which you can discuss with your piling contractor. Make sure that you are clear about what exactly you are looking for and agree exactly what costs are involved in the piling project and how long it will take to complete. Do this before the work is underway so that both sides know where they stand.
iPhone App for the Construction Industry
The company, SmartBuild Software, have developed an iPhone application which enables construction site managers to monitor the clean-up of their sites by sub-contractors. There is a wide spread problem of sub-contractors being either very slow when cleaning-up or simply leaving the site without doing it. This can result in the contractor incurring additional costs by employing extra staff to do the cleaning work.
The software was designed after research was carried out and it emerged that there was significant demand for a technological solution to the ongoing problem. The software is suitable for construction companies of all sizes. The app capabilities include recording and actioning a clean-up by a specific date or penalties are issued, sending warning notifications to workers and reporting on the performance of workers. The dashboard displays issues that are pending, late and resolved.
SmartBuild Software headquarters are at NovaUDC, Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre at University College Dublin. They are marketing their new products at the UK, UK and Irish market.
Driving Sheet Pile Walls
There are several ways of driving sheet pile walls into position; threading into pre-cut trenches, pressed, impact-driven and vibratory driven.
Threading sheet pile walls into pre-cut trenches is a suitable technique for use on most soils. After a trench has been excavated or holes drilled in the ground, they are filled with a suspension and sheet piles can be driven in up to their full depth.
Pressing sheet pile walls is a process that can be used if there are noise and vibration limitations due to the construction taking place in residential areas or near to existing buildings. The sheet piles are driven into the ground by hydraulic pressure. The pressing plant can be supported by a crane, guided by a leader or be supported by heads already in position.
Impact driven sheet pile walls can be positioned in the ground using either slow or rapid-action systems. Drop hammers and diesel hammers are slow-action, with between 24 and 32 blows per minutes and are used in cohesive soils. These hammers allow the pore water pressure to disperse between blows. Rapid-action hammers give between 100 and 400 blows per minute at a lighter driving weight than slow-action hammers.
Vibratory sheet pile driving is derived from harmonic excitation of the sheet pile, causing the restructuring of the soil along with decreasing the friction between the soil and sheet pile. Harmonic excitation is produced by eccentric weights in the vibrator.
Piling Rig Working Platform Guide
It is important that working platforms for piling rig contractors are robust to ensure compliance with health and safety guidelines. Accidents are very dangerous on piling rig platforms and can often prove fatal. The platform needs to be stable to prevent it from settling into the ground under the weight and pressure of the piling equipment.
Piling rig working platforms are made from granular material that is crushed and compacted. For extra support geotextiles are also used. The thickness of the platform is decided by several factors. The rig type including the model, manufacturer and also how the machine is set up for use. The soil type and soil strength; whether it is cohesive (clay) or cohesionless (sand, gravel, most chalks)
Piling rig working platforms should be at least 2m longer than the construction area any ramp platforms should be should be at a safe and suitable angle. If it was necessary to remove any obstructions and holes were left then they must be backfilled properly so that there are no soft ground areas.
Ensure a safe piling rig working platform by following these guidelines and serious accidents will be avoided.
Decline of Home Construction in US
There has been a drop in the number of houses being built in the US during the month of June. According to Commerce Department figures, US home construction is at its lowest level since October 2009.
Builders have been forced to hold back on building projects despite a reported 2.1% increase in building permit applications. This is a positive sign for the future but with the current US unemployment rate being under 10% there are no advancements as yet.
New home and apartment developments fell 5% between May and June which was triggered by a 20% decrease in demand for apartments and condominiums.
High unemployment rates are cancelling out mortgage rates being at a record low. The figures have highlighted the fragility of the US recovery.
T.V. STARS IN THE MAKING?
Two of our piling operatives, Robert Clegg and Lewis Woodruff appeared in the Channel 4 Documentary featuring traditional Public Houses and more specifically those named “The Red Lion” throughout the UK.
The pair were shown playing rugby for the Red Lion’s Whitworth Spartans who have coincidentally been sponsored by MK Piling for a number of years.
The pair talked about their enjoyment both on and off the pitch and the programme showed the obligatory post match rugby drinking games with their fellow team mates. All in good fun and whilst their small screen debut was a success we are that Ant and Dec have nothing to fear……….. just yet!