What Is a Driven Pile?
A driven pile is pipe, I-beam, H-pile, sheet pile, or timber pile that is installed in the ground using either vibratory or impact methods. These various pile types can be for the purposes of supporting new structures, existing structures, as ground improvement or densification and often shoring for excavations or permanent installations.
H-Pile Timber Lagged Shoring
In recent years TerraCana has been providing more H-Pile, timber lagged shoring installed entirely from grade. The advantages of this system is that shoring is completed before any excavation takes place. This can often be much faster than traditional methods like shotcrete shoring because it takes multiple trips for both the excavator and shoring contractor. This eats up a significant amount of time and adds to the schedule.
What’s the cost of a Driven Piling Project?
Driven Piling Installation
Vibratory Pile Driving
Sonic vibro-driven piles are installed by an excavator-mounted attachment with articulating arms and side-gripping jaws. Our excavator mounted vibratory pile driving units are unique to the greater Vancouver Area and are well suited for difficult access requirements we are often presented with.
With a Dynamic drive force of 100 tons and high frequency vibrations of 3,000 cycles per minute, these pile drivers vibrate the soil so that piles can be driven quickly. When coupled with crowd force produced by the excavator, the sonic vibro-driver can install piles into almost any soil condition. Additionally, the high frequency the driver operates at reduces the amount of vibration in the surrounding area, allowing for installation in sensitive situations.
Impact Driven Piling
When the project calls for impact pile setting, PDA testing, or hard soils are encountered, TerraCana can swap to our hydraulic piling hammer. The piling hammers we utilize are some of the largest excavator mounted impact hammers available with impact energy up to 45kNm. These units also have the unique ability to fit in low overhead situations allowing for piling inside of buildings. These units are also much more environmentally sound than traditional diesel impact hammers and are ideal for use in sensitive situations.
Use
Sonic vibro-driving works for any application that calls for driven piles, in any location.
Design
The design process for sonic vibro-driven piles is the same as it would be for any driven pile. A professional engineer (P.Eng.) reviews applied load, pile capacity, and soil parameters to determine the size, number, and type of piles required.
Reduced Costs
Sonic vibro-driven piles are more economical to install because they use less equipment and manpower than other pile types. There is less need for support equipment and less downtime on site. Mobilization costs are also lower.
Limited Access
Sonic vibro-driven piles can be driven in limited access areas such as under bridges, inside buildings, and on narrow roadways. The equipment needs only a few inches of headroom clearance. Jobs previously done by splicing lengths of pile together can be done with one full length of piling.
Lower Vibration
Sonic vibro-driving causes less damage to surrounding structures because of the higher frequency of vibration than other vibratory piles or driven piles.
Safety
Operators can pick up, transport, and install piling without leaving their cab, which makes for a safer process.
Increased Productivity
Less time is required to install sonic vibro-driven piles.