GERMAN PILING METHOD EXPLODES MORE HASTE LESS SPEED MYTH

The Rosenstock shock blasting process of bursting rock into small pieces to allow sheet piles through was demonstrated on the found60 M Rochester way relief road construction site in South-East London. Small amounts of explosive are used to provide shock waves just strong enough to burst the rock in a small area to accommodate the piles. Site conditions consisted of 5 M of fill and a 10 M layer of sand, gravel and cemented shells overlaying clays. The piles had to be driven through to found 3 M into the clay - a total of 18 M below surface level. Holes of 125 mm diameter were drilled into the clay at the founding level and strings of explosive set at pre-determined levels were lowered into the plastic-lined holes. Following blasting, the piles are driven before the rock and clay can re-consolidate. The first eight pairs of piles were driven into place within about 75 minutes. However, after a delay of three days, refusal took place at a depth of 16 M when driving a pair of Larsen piles. Consequently it is essential that piling must take place soon after blasting. (TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00107859
• Corporate Authors:

  IPC Building and Contract Journals Limited

  Surrey House, 1 Throwley Way
  Sutton, Surrey SM1 4QQ,   England 
• Authors:
  • Bill, P
• Publication Date: 1984-4

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 20-21
• Serial:
  • CONTRACT JOURNAL
  • Volume: 318
  • Issue Number: 5454
  • Publisher: Reed Business Information, Limited
  • ISSN: 0010-7859

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aggregates; Clay; Explosives; Fills; Gravel; Methodology; Pile driving; Presplitting (Blasting); Rocks; Sand; Sheet piling; Shells (Structural forms); Shells (Zoology); Shock (Mechanics); Waves
• Uncontrolled Terms: Fill (Embankment)
• Old TRIS Terms: Rock bursts; Shell
• ITRD Terms: 5188: Blasting; 4177: Clay; 3641: Driving (pile); 2801: Embankment; 4575: Gravel; 9102: Method; 4154: Rock; 4105: Sand; 3369: Sheet pile wall; 4589: Shell (aggregate); 5471: Shock; 6767: Wave
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Geotechnology; Highways; I53: Construction of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00389524
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 30 1984 12:00AM