Professional Documents
Culture Documents
GS 2a Piling
GS 2a Piling
Section 2aPiling
Contractor's Responsibility
the Contractor shall be entirely responsible for the safety of the
work and for taking all necessary precautions to prevent
settlement or damage to adjacent buildings, roads and
surrounding ground. He shall inspect the adjacent buildings
and surrounding area at regular frequent intervals and shall
immediately report to the Engineer any signs of damage or
distress which may become evident.
If directed by the Engineer the Contractor shall provide shoring
to the adjacent buildings and shall move and reposition any
shores as may be necessary to get the rigs into position for
driving the piles adjacent to the buildings.
All such work shall be carried out and any damage rectified at
the Contractor's own expense.
Piling works shall be carried out in accordance with the Code of
Practice for Foundations 2004.
2a1.02
2a1.03
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Section 2aPiling
2a1.04
2a1.05
2a1.06
Materials
Unless otherwise stated, materials for concrete piles shall be of
the quality described in Section 2e Concrete Specification.
2a1.07
Setting Out
The Contractor shall provide all necessary instruments, lines
and pegs and shall set out the pile positions in accordance with
the piling plan and any further details provided by the
Engineer.
Although the setting out of piles may be checked by the
Engineer, it is the Contractor's responsibility to ensure that the
piles are installed in correct position and to the required levels
and rake.
If any discrepancy should be found between the dimensions
shown on the drawings and the dimensions found on site the
Contractor shall inform the Engineer who shall give instructions
to resolve the discrepancy.
The position of any pile shall not be adjusted by the Contractor
without the prior approval of the Engineer or his representative.
The Engineer may require additional piles to supplement any
pile which deviates from the acceptable tolerances or is
incorrectly located to such an extent that the eccentricity
cannot reasonably be provided for by a simple amendment of
the pile cap.
Such additional piles shall be provided at the Contractor's
expense and no claim for extension of time will be entertained.
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2a1.08
2a1.09
2a1.10
2a1.11
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2a1.12
Loading
The kentledge shall be set up over the pile and supported
in such a manner as will avoid any dangerous tilting
before, during or after the tests.
The load shall be transferred to the pile head by means of
a hydraulic jack and loading frame. If a dynamometer is
not incorporated in the loading equipment the jack shall
be calibrated immediately before the test by an approved
independent laboratory.
(B)
Records
Settlement readings shall be taken from a datum which
will not be affected by any movement of the ground due
to the test load. Measurements shall be taken to an
accuracy of 0.01 mm.
Records shall be kept of time, load and settlement.
Graphs of these records shall be plotted showing:(i)
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(E)
Failure
For the constant rate of penetration test, failure shall be
taken as the point at which the rate of settlement
increases without the application of further load or
alternatively the point at which it is no longer necessary
to increase the load to maintain the constant rate of
settlement.
For the substained load test failure shall be taken as the
point at which the rate of settlement continues
undiminished or increases without the application of
further increments or alternatively the point at which the
load/settlement graph approaches the vertical.
(F)
Acceptance Criteria
The acceptance criteria for tests on working piles shall be
the criteria specified by the Building Authority.
2a1.13
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2a1.14
Records
An accurate and comprehensive record shall be kept of each
pile and the following data and daily record sheets signed by
the
Contractor's
representative
and
the
Engineer's
representative shall be submitted to the Engineer each week in
duplicate:(a)
pile reference number
(b)
date and time of commencement and completion of
installation
(c)
ground level at pile position
(d)
depth driven or bored
(e)
depth concreted and quantity of concrete used
(f1) final set for last ten blows (if applicable)
(f2) `N' value below tip of pile (if applicable)
(f3) the torque at each metre of penetration (if applicable)
(g)
details of obstructions or delays
(h)
details of inclination or displacement of the pile during
driving
For each caisson the following additional information is
required:
(i)
(j)
(k)
(l)
daily progress
type of ground encountered
date of approval of base
tables and charts showing the data for proving the bases
Test pile driving records and copies of the results of any load
tests shall be submitted to the Engineer in triplicate.
A copy of the daily records shall be kept on site together with a
marked up copy of the piling plan showing the depths of the
piles and date of installation.
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Section 2aPiling
Site Clearance
On completion of the work the Contractor shall leave the site
clean and tidy, and free from all debris, surplus materials, etc.
resulting from his operations.
2a1.17
2a1.18
Pile Length
The piles shall be capable of carrying without distress to the
superstructure the working loads shown on the drawings and
shall satisfy the requirements in respect of settlement under
test load. The contractor shall determine the length of the
piles based on the pile tests, and/or available site investigation
reports and/or the results of such other tests and investigations
as he may carry out, and the lengths of pile already driven.
Before fabricating any pile the contractor shall submit for the
Engineer's approval the length of pile he proposes to drive and
details of the number and position of splices he proposes to use
to make up the pile. The Engineer's agreement shall not
relieve the Contractor from his responsibility for providing piles
of adequate length capable of carrying the working loads
indicated on the drawings and schedules, but shall be mainly
for the purpose of agreeing the measurement as the work
proceeds.
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Section 2aPiling
The minimum net length below cut-off level shall be 4.5m for
driven piles. The contractor shall use appropriate methods,
including preboring, to achieve installing the minimum length.
2a1.19
Defective Piles
If, in the opinion of the Engineer, any pile is incapable of
permanently carrying its design load because of the pile having
been installed outside the specified tolerances or damaged by
over-driving or by the construction of another pile nearby or
otherwise failing to conform to the Specification, the Contractor
shall submit remedial works proposal for the Engineer's
approval. The remedial works may consist of re-installation of
the defective pile at another location, additional piles or
revisions to pile cap and tie beam details.
The Engineer may instruct that the approved remedial works
be carried out by the Contractor or by the Superstructure
Contractor with the cost recovered from the Contractor if, in
the opinion of the Engineer, it is more beneficial for the
execution of the project to do so. Normally, if the remedial
works fall within the scope of the Superstructure Contract, the
Engineer will instruct the Superstructure Contractor to carry out
the remedial works. The decision of the Engineer in this respect
is final.
***
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2a2.02
2a2.03
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2a2.04
Underground Obstructions
If underground obstructions are encountered at depths greater
than a few metres that cause auger refusal, the following steps
shall be taken:
2a2.05
(a)
Grout the augered hole and relocate the pile when the
pile is closer than 6 pile diameters from any completed
pile.
(b)
2a2.06
2a2.07
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2a3.02
2a3.03
Concreting Piles
The concrete shall be Grade 20D or a special concrete of
equivalent strength suitable for the particular piling method
used. Particulars of the mix proportions shall be submitted to
the Engineer.
Unless the concrete is compacted by ramming it shall be
designed with a high workability so that it will flow to fill the
shaft completely as the tube is extracted. For reinforced piles
the concrete must be able to flow around and embed the
reinforcement.
Before placing concrete the pile must be checked for
cleanliness and any soil or debris which may have entered the
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Boring
A temporary steel casing shall be used for bored piles unless
the Engineer approves another method for supporting the sides
of the hole.
In soils liable to "flow" the bottom of the casing must be kept
far enough in advance of the boring tool to prevent the entry of
soil into the casing, so preventing the formation of cavities and
settlement in the adjoining ground. The Contractor shall take
all possible precautions to prevent this and shall allow in his
tender for any such action necessary.
Care shall be taken when excavating within the casing to avoid
excessive pumping action caused by the grab.
2a4.02
Bell-out
An enlarged base or bell-out may be formed where piles are
founded on rock. Such bell-out shall have a gradient not
exceeding 30 degrees from the vertical, and the size shall not
exceed 1.5 times the shaft diameter.
2a4.03
2a4.04
Reinforcement
Steel reinforcement shall comply in every respect with the
requirements of the Concrete Specification (Section 2e).
The reinforcement shall be made up into cages well tied and
braced to withstand handling without damage.
The cover between the main bars and the inside of the casing
shall be 75 mm and shall be maintained by mild steel spacer
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Section 2aPiling
Concrete
Materials for concrete, proportions for concrete, mixing,
transporting and testing concrete shall comply in every respect
with the requirements of the Concrete Specification (Section
2e).
In general concrete for piles will not be vibrated and the mix
should therefore be designed with a higher workability than
concrete for normal structural work.
2a4.06
2a4.07
Tremie Concrete
Concrete mixes designed for placing by tremie shall contain not
less than 400 kg of cement per cu m and will generally require
a higher percentage of fines than ordinary concrete.
The tremie pipe shall not be less than 150 mm dia for concrete
with 20 mm max. aggregate nor less than 250 mm dia for
concrete with 40 mm aggregate. The pipe shall extend to the
bottom of the bored pile. Length of pipe shall be connected
with a quick-acting coupling so that sections can be removed
as required without delay. The joints shall be made watertight
by a gasket or other effective method.
The top of the pipe shall be connected to a hopper of suitable
size for the length of pipe used and for the rate at which the
concrete is to be supplied. A means of raising and lowering the
hopper and pipe under full control at all times must be
provided.
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Pressure Grouting
Pressure grouting below the tips of the piles, if stated on the
drawings or required by the Engineer, shall be carried out by
the Contractor as described hereunder.
Method A - An NX size hole shall be drilled to 5.00 m below the
base and two grout pipes of 25 mm minimum
diameter shall be installed (one to bottom of the
drilled hole and the other to pile base level). The
Contractor shall submit details of the grout mix he
proposes to use, for the Engineer's approval, prior
to commencing. Mixers must be able to provide a
continuous supply of grout to the pump and the
pump able to deliver the required grouting
pressure. Immediately before grouting the system
shall be flushed with clean water. Grout shall be
pumped into the pipe extending to the bottom of
the drill hole until it appears through the return
pipe (extending to pile base level). The return pipe
shall then be plugged off and grout pumped until
the required pressure is reached.
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2a4.10
2a4.11
Test Coring
The Contractor is to take one NX size drill coring through the
full depth of the piles selected by the Engineer or the Building
Authority.
For piles founded on rock the core shall be taken 600mm or half
a diameter of the pile base, whichever is the greater, into the
base material.
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For piles founded on soil the core shall be stopped when it has
broken through the base and standard penetration tests shall
be made at 1.5m maximum intervals from the pile founding
level down to a distance of at least 3 times the diameter of the
pile base, or 5m whichever is greater.
The cores are to be properly arranged in core boxes and
marked with the pile number and depths. The Engineer or the
Building Authority may require a number of samples from each
core to be sent to an approved laboratory for crushing tests.
Should the appearance of the core or the test results raise
doubt as to the quality of the concrete the contractor shall
carry out at his own expense such additional coring, tests or
remedial work as the Engineer may require.
2a4.12
Number of Tubes
3
4
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2a5.02
not
be
used
unless
expressly
Construction Methods
The methods of excavation, equipment and temporary works
used in the construction of the caisson foundations shall be
those which have been successfully employed on previous
occasions where the ground and substrata conditions have
been similar. They shall be such as will minimise the risk of
loss of ground or settlement of adjacent structures and
services.
If in the opinion of the Engineer modifications or amendments
to the methods of construction are required during the course
of the work in order to ensure that the caissons are constructed
in accordance with these contract documents, the contractor
shall carry out such modifications and amendments without
additional payment.
2a5.03
Dewatering
The Contractor shall submit with his method for caisson
excavation full details of the dewatering system he proposes to
use for the approval of the Engineer. Such approval shall in no
way relieve the Contractor of his obligations under clause.
If the Building Authority should require modifications or
additional precautions to the proposed method of dewatering,
the Contractor shall carry out such modifications and/or
precautions without additional payment.
2a5.04
Safety
The Contractor's attention is drawn to the relevant construction
safety regulations and to BS 8008: 1996 " Safety Precautions
and Procedures for the Construction and Descent of Machinebored Shafts for Piling and Other Purposes."
The Contractor shall give special attention to:
(a)
(b)
(c)
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(d
(e)
(f)
2a5.05
Blasting
Blasting is prohibited.
2a5.06
Casing
All caisson excavations are to be properly cased down to
foundation level or rock level to prevent the entry of ground
water and to support the sides of the excavation.
The clear internal diameter of the casing shall be not less than
the nominal diameter of the caisson.
The top section of casing to a depth of 2 m below ground level
shall be constructed of Grade 20P concrete not less than 150
mm or 1/20 of the nominal diameter of the caisson in
thickness.
A heavier top section may be required where mechanical
equipment is to be used close to the excavation.
The
remainder of the casing may be of steel or of precast or insitu
concrete.
The contractor shall submit for the approval of the Engineer his
proposals for the method of construction and materials to be
used for the casing.
2a5.07
Caisson Bottoms
Caisson shall be taken down to a compact soil stratum or rock
which can safely support the bearing pressures shown on the
drawings to the satisfaction of the Engineer.
In caissons founded on soil the main excavation shall stop
about 300 mm above final base level. The last 300 mm to 500
mm shall be excavated and the bottom cleaned out
immediately before placing concrete.
Caissons founded on rock directly under colluvium, alluvium or
marine deposits shall be socketed about 300mm into the rock.
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2a5.09
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2a5.11
Reinforcement
Steel reinforcement shall comply in every respect with the
requirements of the Concrete Construction Specification.
The reinforcement shall be made up into cages well tied and
braced to withstand handling without damage.
The cover between the main bars and the inside of the casing
shall be 75 mm and shall be maintained by mild steel spacer
rods tack welded to the binders.
2a5.12
2a5.13
Concrete
Materials for concrete, proportions for concrete, mixing,
transporting and testing concrete shall comply in every respect
with the requirements of the Concrete Construction
Specifications.
In general concrete for caissons will not be vibrated and the
mix should therefore be designed with a higher workability than
concrete for normal structural work.
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2a5.14
2a5.15
2a5.16
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Tremie Concrete
Concrete mixes designed for placing by tremie shall contain not
less than 400 kg of cement per cubic metre and will generally
require a higher percentage of fines than ordinary concrete.
The tremie pipe shall not be less than 150 mm dia for concrete
with 20 mm maximum aggregate nor less than 250 mm dia for
concrete with 40 mm aggregate. The length shall extend to
the bottom of the caisson. Lengths of pipe shall be connected
with a quick-acting coupling so that sections can be removed
as required without delay. The joints shall be made watertight
by a gasket or other effective method.
The top of the pipe shall be connected to a hopper of suitable
size for the length of pipe used and for the rate at which the
concrete is to be supplied. A means of raising and lowering the
hopper and pipe under full control at all times must be
provided.
A sliding plug (e.g. an inflated rubber ball of suitable size)
which will be pushed down the pipe by the weight of concrete
shall be placed in the pipe ahead of the first charge to prevent
the concrete mixing with the water in the pipe. Once the pipe
is charged the bottom end shall be kept buried in the concrete
to a depth of 1 m to 1.5 m. A means of sounding shall be
provided to check the level of the concrete surface and ensure
that the pipe is buried to a sufficient depth to maintain a seal
and control the flow of concrete.
The hopper must be continually recharged without delay in
order to maintain the flow and prevent the pipe from becoming
clogged. With proper control the concrete should flow as the
pipe is gradually raised. If it should be necessary to surge the
pipe to discharge the concrete great care must be taken to
prevent accidental withdrawal of the bottom of the pipe with
consequent loss of seal.
In the event of accidental loss of seal, a record shall be kept of
the level at which it occurred and the pipe must be recharged
using the sliding plug and taking care to avoid a sudden out
surge of water from the pipe.
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Section 2aPiling
Tremie concrete shall be placed until the top of the pour is 0.3
m to 0.7 m above cut off level so that sound concrete is within
75 mm of the specified level after cutting away the weak
surface layer.
2a5.18
Pressure Grouting
Pressure grouting below the tips of the caisson, if stated on the
drawings or required by the Engineer, shall be carried out by
the Contractor as described hereunder.
Method A - An NX size hole shall be drilled to 5.00 m below the
caisson base and two grout pipes of 25 mm
minimum diameter shall be installed (one to bottom
of the drilled hole and the other to pile base level).
The Contractor shall submit details of the grout mix
he proposes to use, for the Engineer's approval
prior to commencing.
Mixers must be able to provide a continuous supply
of grout to the pump and the pump able to deliver
the required grouting pressure. Immediately before
grouting the system shall be flushed with clean
water.
Grout shall be pumped into the pipe
extending to the bottom of the drill hole until it
appears through the return pipe (extending to pile
base level). The return pipe shall then be plugged
off and grout pumped until the required pressure is
reached.
Method B - If directed by the Engineer four 25 mm diameter
PVC grout tubes shall be installed in the pile prior to
pouring of concrete.
These grout tubes shall extend from base level to 1
metre above existing ground level and shall be
equally spaced around the perimeter of the pile.
Grout tubes shall be fitted with nozzles which can
be locked off without loss of pressure.
Details of the proposed grout mix shall be
submitted for approval prior to commencement of
grouting.
Grout shall be pumped into each tube in turn until a
pressure of 3 MPa is reached and this pressure shall
be held for a period of 5 minutes or as directed by
the Engineer.
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Section 2aPiling
For both Methods A & B the Contractor shall keep full records of
grouting including the date each tube was grouted, the
proportions of the grout and any admixtures used, pressure
records and details of any interruptions and details of the
volume of grout used.
Copies of these records shall be
supplied to the Engineer within 3 days of grouting.
2a5.19
2a5.20
Test Coring
The Contractor is to take one NX size drill coring through the
full depth of the caissons selected by the Engineer or the
Building Authority. For caissons founded on rock the core shall
be taken 600 mm into the base material. For caissons founded
on soil the core shall be stopped when it has broken through
the base and a standard penetration test shall be made in the
soil immediately below the base.
The cores are to be properly arranged in core boxes and
marked with the pile number and depths. The Engineer of the
Building Authority may require a number of samples from each
core to be sent to an approved laboratory for crushing tests.
Should the appearance of the core or the test results raise
doubt as to the quality of the concrete the Contractor shall
carry out at his own expense such additional coring, tests or
remedial work as the Engineer may require.
***
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2a6.02
Test Certificates
As soon as the material is delivered to the site, the Contractor
shall provide the Engineer with the manufacturer's test
certificates to show that the material fully complies with the
specification.
2a6.03
Pile Marking
After fabrication and before driving the head, each pile shall be
marked with a serial reference number. The pile shall also be
marked off at half meter intervals, measured from the toe, to
facilitate record keeping during driving.
2a6.04
2a6.05
Driving
The Contractor shall obtain the prior approval of the Engineer
for his rig, weight of hammer and driving procedure before
commencing to drive any piles.
As the piles are expected to be driven to a hard stratum, care
shall be taken to avoid damage to the piles by over-driving or
by causing excessive driving stresses.
Calculated driving
stresses shall not exceed 0.9 yield stress unless approved
otherwise by the Engineer.
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Section 2aPiling
The drop or stroke used shall be such that the piles are not
damaged. Each pile shall be fitted with a well-fitting helmet of
a pattern suitable for the pile head and properly packed before
being driven. If necessary, the head of the pile shall be
reinforced to resist high driving stresses.
The piles shall be driven to a set proposed by the Contractor,
agreed by the Engineer and based on the test pile results. The
Engineer's agreement shall not relieve the Contractor of his
responsibility for the load carrying capacity of the piles.
2a6.06
Offcuts
Offcuts which show no signs of damage may be used in the
most economical manner to make up or extend piles. Such
piles shall be arranged with the minimum number of splices,
and the Contractor shall obtain the Engineer's approval before
such pile are driven.
The bottom section of each pile shall be a full 12.00 m (or
longer) section without splices. For the intermediate part of a
pile made up from offcuts, each offcut used shall not be less
than 4.00 m and two or more offcuts shall be welded together
and checked that they are straight and true before being
welded to the section already driven.
Shorter offcuts may be used at the top part of the pile to make
up the required length.
2a6.07
Lengthening of Pile
Where found necessary, the Engineer may order a driven pile
to be lengthened. The lengthening piece shall be of similar
section to the driven section. Care shall be taken to ensure
that the extension is truly in line with the driven section.
2a6.08
2a6.09
Pile Heads
After the pile has been cut off to the level shown on the
drawings, the head shall be ground to give a true and level
surface onto which shall be welded a steel bearing plate.
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2a6.10
Pile Protection
Prior to driving, all piles shall be coated to a depth specified on
the drawings with two coats of bituminous solution complying
to BS 3416, Type 1 for protection against corrosion. All paint
shall be supplied to the painters ready for application, and the
addition of thinners or of any other material shall be thereafter
prohibited. Any instructions given by the paint manufacturer
shall be strictly followed.
Paint shall be applied to dry surfaces which have been
prepared and cleaned as specified by the paint manufacturer.
The interval between the preparation of the surface and the
application of the first priming coat shall be as specified.
Where not specifically stated, the priming coat shall be applied
on the same day that the preparation is carried out.
Any coat that has become damaged or defective in any way
shall be made good before application of the subsequent coat.
If the final coat is damaged during handling, the affected area
shall be rubbed down and additional coatings shall be applied
to the approval of the Engineer.
2a6.11
Re-Driving
The Engineer may order that the operation be ceased at any
stage of driving, to be resumed after a lapse of 24 hours or any
other period. Redriving is to be carried out in a manner similar
to the initial driving and continued until the required ultimate
resistance is achieved. Piles which have risen for any reason
shall be re-driven to the original level (or to such others as the
Engineer may determine) unless otherwise directed by the
Engineer.
2a6.12
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Details of Welds
Fusion Faces
Fusion faces shall be free from irregularities and properly
prepared such that the accuracy of the specified size of welds
can be maintained.
Fusion faces and the surrounding surface shall be free from
heavy scale and oil, paint or other substances which may affect
the quality of the weld.
If the initial preparation is by gas cutting, the faces shall be
ground, filed or dressed to remove irregularities and to
maintain the tolerances specified.
Fillet Welds
Parts to be fillet welded shall be brought into close contact and
the gap due to incorrect fit up shall not exceed 1.5 mm.
The minimum leg length of a fillet weld as deposited shall be
not less than the specified size, and the throat thickness as
deposited not less than 0.7 of the leg size where the fusion
faces are at right angles to each other.
Butt Welds
Butt welds shall be single V or double V with the following
tolerances:
Included angle of V
Root face
Gap
Misalignment of parts
60 degrees minimum
3 mm maximum
1.5 mm minimum
3 mm maximum
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2a6.15
2a6.16
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Piles
The piles shall be precast reinforced concrete piles. Materials
and workmanship for casting the piles shall comply with
Section 2e Concrete Specification unless otherwise stated in
this section.
2a7.02
Pile Shoes
Pile shoes shall be made of "chilled-hardened" cast iron with
straps of mild steel cast into the base and running continuously
through it. The cast iron shall be clean grey tough metal, free
from sand, honeycombing, porous places, air holes or other
defects.
2a7.03
2a7.04
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2a7.06
2a7.07
Pitching
Piles shall not be pitched until 21 days after casting or until the
strength of the cubes is at least 25 MPa whichever is the later.
Place the piles accurately as to position and rake and guide
them in their movements by the leaders of the driving rig or by
other approved means. If damage occurs due to heavy driving
of piles of this minimum age, the period between casting and
driving shall be extended to allow further gain in strength.
2a7.08
Driving
Piles shall be driven by a drop hammer of not less than 8
tonnes in weight. Driving shall be through a helmet of steel
plate with a 75 mm thick hardwood cushion set with the grain
vertical between the helmet and the pile and a short hardwood
dolly above to receive the blow of the hammer. The packing
and the dolly shall be renewed as necessary to ensure they are
in good condition when driving to the final set.
Take all reasonable precautions to ensure that each pile is
driven continuously to the required level or set. The final set
shall be such as will give a resistance to penetration, calculated
by the Hiley formula using the measured temporary
compressions, of at least twice the designed working load.
A short drop shall be used at the start and it shall be increased
as the resistance to penetration increases to a maximum drop
of 1.4 m. Take care to ensure that the hammer blow is coaxial
with the pile in order to avoid transverse vibrations in the
unsupported length of the pile.
2a7.09
Redriving
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Lengthening
If a pile has not reached the required set during the initial
driving or upon redriving after a period of rest, it shall be
lengthened and redriven to the required set.
Lengthening shall be carried out by striping the concrete for a
length of 1 m and removing the lateral ties. New bars of the
same size with the ends cut filed or ground square shall be
butted to the longitudinal bars and the joint covered by 2 m
long splice bars securely wired to the old and the new bars.
Binders of type A and type B alternately shall be added at 75
mm centres for the length of the splice. Between the splice and
the head of the extension binders shall be provided to the
same detail as in the original pile.
Strongly constructed shuttering shall be constructed around
the pile and held firmly and accurately in alignment. The
bottom of the shutters shall overlap the top of the existing
concrete and shall be sealed with a rubber gasket or by
caulking to prevent loss of mortar from the concrete. The
extension shall then be concreted with the same mix of
concrete as was used in the piles and the head shall be
accurately finished perpendicular to the axis.
The shuttering shall not be striped for 4 days. The head of the
extension and the sides, after the shuttering has been stripped,
shall be covered with sacking which shall be kept continuously
wet for a period of 10 days.
The lengthened pile shall not be redriven until the extension
has reached a strength or age approved by the Engineer.
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2a7.11
Bracing
As soon as two or three piles have been driven erect
substantial bracing to the piles and to each subsequent pile as
soon as it has been driven. Timber bracing shall be not less
than 300 mm x 200 mm in cross section.
2a7.12
Jetting
Where piles are required to pass through a stratum of sand to
reach a bearing in a lower stratum and the sand is so compact
as to cause high driving stresses which may damage the pile,
jetting may be used to loosen the sand.
Jet pipes may either be attached to the sides of the pile or be
independent pipes surged down at the sides of the pile. The
arrangement of jets shall be balanced to ensure that the pile
does not lead off out of alignment.
Jetting shall be stopped if there is any tendency for the tips of
the piles to be drawn out of alignment, or when the pile
reaches the decomposed granite stratum. In every case jetting
shall be stopped before the completion of driving which must
always be finished by ordinary methods.
The Contractor shall notify the Engineer in advance if he
intends to use jetting.
2a7.13
Inspection
The Contractor shall appoint a responsible member of his site
staff to inspect each pile during driving, to keep the records
required by this Specification and to notify the Engineer as
soon as possible of any cracks, damage or irregularities
observed during the driving.
Where serious transverse vibrations or other irregularities have
been observed during driving or where cracking has been seen
or suspected, the piles affected shall be inspected immediately
after driving or, if ordered by the Engineer or his
representative, before the completion of driving. Piles with
normal driving records may be inspected at any convenient
time.
Inform the Engineer when such inspections are to be carried
out and keep proper records of the dates and results of the
inspections of the piles.
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2a7.14
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Pile Types
The piles must be of a proprietary type manufactured and
handled in accordance with the manufacturer's compliance
standards approved by the Building Authority.
2a8.02
Manufacturer's Certificates
Manufacturer's certificates for each batch of piles delivered to
the site shall be submitted to the Engineer. Such certificates
shall state
2a8.03
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
2a8.04
Driving
During the final set, hammers of weight less than 70% of the
weight of the pile shall not be used. If a drop hammer is
adopted, its stroke shall be limited to not more than 1.2m.
2a8.05
Splicing
Splicing to increase the pile length shall be carried out by
welding the jointing plates of the lower and upper segments in
accordance with the manufacturer's approved details.
During the progress of the works, the Engineer may require
certain of the welded joints to be examined by radiograph
and/or ultrasonic tests. These test shall be carried out to the
satisfaction of the Engineer and the results shall be submitted
for approval.
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2a8.06
2a8.07
Pile Heads
After the pile has been cut off to the specified level, concrete
plugs shall be placed and dowel bars provided as shown on the
drawings.
2a8.08
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Grouting Material
Grout for piling shall consist of ordinary Portland cement and
water with approved non-shrinkage additive.
Water for grout shall be clean, fresh and potable having a
temperature not exceeding 300C nor less than 50C.
Any approved admixtures shall be chloride-free and comply
with BS EN 934-3:2009.
The maximum total chloride content, expressed as a
percentage relationship between the chloride ion and the
cementitious content by mass in the grout shall be 0.1%.
The maximum amount of bleeding of grout shall not exceed 2%
in the first 3 hours and not exceed 4% in total. In addition, the
water must be reabsorbed by the grout within 24 hours after
mixing.
Free expansion of the grout measured 24 hours after mixing
shall lie between 0% and 5%. A negative percentage shall not
be accepted.
2a9.02
Grouting Design
The grout shall be non-shrink and have
characteristic strength of 30 MPa at 28 days.
minimum
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Reinforcing Bars
Reinforcing bars shall be 50 mm diameter hot rolled deformed
high yield steel bars of Grade 460 conforming to Construction
Standard CS2:1995 "Carbon Steel Bars for the reinforcement of
Concrete", free from rolling defects, loose rust, scale , oil or
grease.
The Contractor shall submit the manufacturer's mill certificates
for the bars for the Engineer's approval. Samples of bars shall
be tested in accordance with the Building (Construction)
Regulations as augmented by Practice Notes to Authorized
Persons and the Registered Structural Engineers.
2a9.05
Mechanical Couplers
Mechanical couplers shall be of the specified proprietary type
or an approved equivalent tension type coupler.
Reinforcing bars shall be prepared and couplers installed
strictly
in
accordance
with
the
manufacturer's
recommendations.
2a9.06
Pre-drilling
Pre-drilling using NX size drill shall be carried out to a depth of
at least 5m into the category of rock specified for forming the
rock socket, or the designed rock socket length of the pile,
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Mini-pile Excavation
Drilling for minipiles shall be carried out using a 219 x 6.3 mm
CHS casing to form a 235 mm minimum diameter hole. When
the casing reaches rock of the required quality, a 190 mm
minimum diameter rock socket shall be formed for a minimum
depth of 4.5 m. The casing shall remain in position during the
formation of the rock socket.
Where water flushing is used, care shall be taken to prevent
erosion of the existing ground. Water shall pass through a
sedimentation tank before being discharged outside the site.
When drilling is completed, the hole shall be thoroughly
cleaned to get rid of loose soils before receiving reinforcing
bars and grout.
2a9.08
Mini-pile Installation
If necessary, reinforcing bars shall be spliced by mechanical
couplers arranged in a staggered pattern. Spacers shall be
fixed to the bars at regular intervals to maintain the bars in the
desired positions and to provide adequate grout cover. The
couplers in the pile head shall be adequately protected from
the ingress of grout into the unoccupied end.
Grout shall be placed via a suitable tremie pipe which extends
to the bottom of the hole, in less than 30 minutes after the
grout is mixed. The casing shall not be withdrawn during the
grouting operation.
Grout shall be allowed to fill the hole up to the ground level to
ensure that the pile is completely grouted.
2a9.09
Verticality Check
Verticality, inclination and alignment of the mini-piles shall be
checked during installation by a method acceptable to the
Engineer.
2a9.10
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2a9.11
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minimum
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installation.
2a10.07 Offcuts
Offcuts which show no signs of damage may be used in the
most economical manner to make up or extend piles. Such
piles shall be arranged with the minimum number of splices,
and the Contractor shall obtain the Engineer's approval before
such pile are driven.
The bottom section of each pile shall be a full 12.00 m (or
longer) section without splices. For the intermediate part of a
pile made up from offcuts, each offcut used shall not be less
than 4.00 m and two or more offcuts shall be welded together
and checked that they are straight and true before being
welded to the section already driven.
Shorter offcuts may be used at the top part of the pile to make
up the required length.
2a10.08 Cutting off Piles
After a pile has been installed to required level and to the
satisfaction of the Engineer, the section of the pile above the
cut off level shall be cut away as instructed by the Engineer.
2a10.09 Pile Heads
After the pile has been cut off to the level shown on the
drawings, the head shall be ground to give a true and level
surface onto which shall be welded a steel bearing plate.
2a10.10 General Requirements for Welding
Welding shall be carried out in accordance with the
requirements of BS EN 1011-1:1998 and BS EN 1011-2:2001 or
other accepted standards. Unless otherwise specified, manual
metal-arc welding shall be used.
All welding shall be carried out by skilled and competent
welders. If required, welders shall have passed approval tests
to BS EN 287-1: 2004, BS 4871-3:1985 or BS 4872-1:1982 as
applicable.
An experienced and competent operator shall be assigned to
supervise welding and a record shall be kept on site to identify
welders responsible for major welds.
Welding shall not be carried out under adverse weather
conditions unless under adequate cover.
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60 degrees minimum
3 mm maximum
1.5 mm minimum
3 mm maximum
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Pre-drilling
Pre-drilling using NX size drill shall be carried out to a depth of
at least 5m into the category of rock specified for forming the
rock socket, or the designed rock socket length of the pile,
whichever is the greater.
The extent of the pre-drilling shall be such that the position of
every pile lies within 5m of the position of a pre-drilling hole.
2a10.14 Pre-boring
A temporary steel casing shall be used for pre-bored H-piles for
supporting the sides of the hole. The casing shall be seating on
rockhead or top of rock socket before the rock socket hole is
formed.
In soils liable to "flow" the bottom of the casing must be kept
far enough in advance of the boring tool to prevent the entry of
soil into the casing, so preventing the formation of cavities and
settlement in the adjoining ground. The Contractor shall take all
possible precautions to prevent this and shall allow in his
tender for any such action necessary.
The temporary casing shall be free from any distortion, internal
projections and hardened grout.
Extraction of temporary casing shall be carried out while the
grout is sufficiently workable to ensure that it is not lifted.
The use of an approved vibratory extractor will be permitted.
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