FUNDAMENTAL DESIGN AND DRIVING CONSIDERATIONS FOR CONCRETE PILES

THE PHENOMENA WHICH CAN CAUSE CRACKING AND SPALLING OF CONCRETE PILES DURING DRIVING ARE DESCRIBED AND DISCUSSED AND PROCEDURES OUTLINED WHICH WILL PREVENT THESE PROBLEMS ARE SUMMARIZED' /1/ USE ADEQUATE CUSHIONING MATERIAL BETWEEN THE PILE DRIVERS STEEL HELMET OR CAP AND THE CONCRETE PILE HEAD AS THIS IS A VERY ECONOMICAL MEANS OF CONTROLLING DRIVING STRESSES, /2/ DRIVING STRESSES CAN BE REDUCED BY USING A HEAVY RAM WITH A LOW IMPACT VELOCITY /SHORT STROKE/ TO OBTAIN THE DESIRED DRIVING ENERGY SINCE DRIVING STRESSES ARE PROPORTIONAL TO THE RAM IMPACT VELOCITY, /3/ REDUCE THE RAM VELOCITY OR STROKE DURING EARLY DRIVING WHEN LIGHT SOIL RESISTANCE IS ENCOUNTERED, /4/ IF PRE-DRILLING OR JETTING IS PERMITTED IN PLACING THE PILES, INSURE THAT THE PILE IS WELL SEATED WITH REASONABLE SOIL RESISTANCE AT THE POINT BEFORE FULL DRIVING ENERGY IS USED, /5/ INSURE THAT THE PILE DRIVING HELMET OR CAP FITS LOOSELY AROUND THE PILE TOP SO THAT THE PILE MAY ROTATE SLIGHTLY WITHOUT BINDING WITHIN THE DRIVING HEAD TO PREVENT TORSIONAL STRESS, /6/ INSURE THAT THE PILE IS STRAIGHT AND NOT CAMBERED BECAUSE OF UNEVEN PRESTRESS OR POOR CONCRETE PLACEMENT DURING CASTING, /7/ INSURE THAT THE TOP OF THE PILE IS SQUARE OR PERPENDICULAR TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE PILE, /8/ CUT ENDS OF PRESTRESSING OR REINFORCING STEEL FLUSH WITH THE END OF THE PILE HEAD TO PREVENT THEIR DIRECT LOADING BY THE RAM STROKE, /9/ USE ADEQUATE SPIRAL REINFORCING AT THE PILE HEAD AND TIP TO REDUCE TENDENCY OF PILE TO SPLIT OR SPALL, /10/ USE ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF PRESTRESS IN PRESTRESSED PILES OR REINFORCEMENT IN ORDINARY PRECAST PILES TO RESIST REFLECTED TENSILE STRESSES, AND /11/ CHAMFER TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES AND CORNERS OF PILE TO REDUCE TENDENCY OF CONCRETE TO SPALL.

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  • Supplemental Notes:
    • Paper sponsored by Committee on Substructures, Retaining Walls and Foundations and presented at the 45th Annual Meeting. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
  • Authors:
    • Hirsch, T J
  • Publication Date: 1966

Media Info

  • Media Type: Digital/other
  • Features: Figures; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: pp 24-34
  • Monograph Title: Bridges and structures
  • Serial:

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Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00208231
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS, TRB
  • Created Date: Nov 18 1994 12:00AM