Piling design, measurement and attendance
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We provide design and consultation services for various steel and concrete driven pile configurations. We utilise advanced modelling software alongside site instrumentation to support our designs.
Temporary Compression The video below demonstrates temporary compression, where the pile behaves like a long spring. When a hammer strikes, an energy wave travels from the top to the bottom of the pile to overcome friction and drive it down. However, a portion of this wave reflects off the pile toe and travels back to the surface. This exact principle of wave reflection forms the basis for the low-strain pile integrity testing shown below. |
Pile Integrity Testing
Low-strain Pile Integrity Testing (PIT) is used to assess the length and physical condition of bored piers and existing piles. This provides essential quality assurance for new installations and helps determine the capacity of older structures. Pyramid Engineering primarily utilises this method to evaluate road and rail bridges and to estimate the depth of unknown footings.
Dual Accelerometer measurement for more complicated piling arrangements
To perform Pile Integrity Testing, high-sensitivity accelerometers are coupled to the pile head and connected to a measurement unit. When the pile is struck with a handheld hammer, the system records the resulting stress waves as they travel to the toe and reflect back.
Any discontinuities or changes in pile diameter create unique signatures within these reflections. By using multiple sensors, we can more accurately capture these signatures and display them as a reflectogram to confirm the pile's integrity. A consistent pile with a clear reflection from the base, or toe, is shown in the figure below.
Any discontinuities or changes in pile diameter create unique signatures within these reflections. By using multiple sensors, we can more accurately capture these signatures and display them as a reflectogram to confirm the pile's integrity. A consistent pile with a clear reflection from the base, or toe, is shown in the figure below.
A pile with issues produces reflections at points other then the the pile toe as shown below.
