WET Process BORED PILING METHOD

The final quality of wet process bored piles isn't only depending on the good
building practice of piling contractors but in addition around the characteristics of
concrete supplied. The concrete characteristics are in the major items that influence
the overall performance of piles following casting. Due to the nature and
atmosphere of wet process bored piling, both correct drilling and pouring of
concrete would not create the great high quality piles, if the quality of concrete
didn't meet the fundamental characteristicsstone crasher in ethiopia required for
bored piling process. This paper testimonials the basic characteristics of concrete
necessary in wet process bored pile and presents some example issues brought on
by improper concrete mix. Furthermore, the troubles caused by improper concrete
pouring process and safety measures are also described.
INTRODUCTION
The quality of piles is determined by a great construction process including drilling,
reinforcement installation and concrete pouring as well as on excellent top quality of
concrete. Quality of concrete has some affect on the workmanship with interrelated
performances. For wet-process bored piles, concrete is cast beneath drilling slurry
employing tremie pipes. Excellent quality concrete in bored piling sense means how
the properties and characteristics of the concrete are appropriate for your process
of operate and subsequently meet requirements from the finished item. Continuous
concrete pouring which can be mandatory in piling and it really is sometime
disrupted by blockage of segregated or prematurely set concrete mix inside the
tremie pipe. Early setting of concrete after pouring in bored hole can also lead to
discontinuities in pile by accidental lifting of set concrete for the duration of
extraction from the temporary casing. Dampness is sometimes discovered in top
rated portion of piles constructed in water-bearing permeable soil layer. The
dampness was located to be caused by capillary action of ground water via
interconnecting voids formed within the improperly mixed concrete.
Ready mixed concrete for bored piles typically specified as self-compacting concrete
and its particular "compacting factor" is extremely essential for achieving essential
strength, specifically in the top area of pile which generally carries the most portion
of transferred load. However, the compacting factor is seldom talked about in piling
practice. Apart from, no vibration is allowed for tremie concrete whilst structural
concrete is compacted by vibrator throughout casting. The concrete strength test is
typically carried out around the compacted test samples and thus the particular
strength of pile could be various from sample strength in accordance with the
compacting factor.
WET Process BORED PILING METHOD

In wet process bored piling, bentonite or other sort of suitable drilling slurry is used
as drilling fluid to help the borehole in the course of building. A steel temporary
casing is generally used to case the leading weak soil put through heavy building
loads. Drilling and reinforcement cage installation and concrete putting are
successively executed under drilling slurry. The concret is poured with tremie pipes,
displacing the slurry well above the cutoff level. The temporary casing is then
extracted right away immediately after concreting.
CHARACTERISTICS OF CONCRETE AND CONCRETE MIX
Concrete mix for bored piles is developed according to concrete pouring process
and mechanical properties required. Concrete for wet process piles needs to
become specially mixed having cohesiveness with good workability (high
slump/excellent fluidity) which can be not prone to segregation and retain it
workability as far as you possibly can throughout the tremie placing operation for
that full pour. Addition to those characteristics, compaction below selfweight,
potential to deal with harsh atmosphere, potential to deal with leaching, and
appropriate strength are crucial.
Workability
Excellent fluidity is crucial how the concrete has got the capacity to circulate readily
via the tremie pipe, circulation laterally by means of a reinforcement cage as well as
a high lateral pressure up against the sides of borehole. High workability is very
best achieved with rounded all-natural aggregates and all-natural sand inside the
mix.
Self Compaction
Compaction under self-weight is crucial as vibration of concrete is impractical,
except close to the surface. How much compaction achieved is dependent upon the
density ratio (the number of density actually achieved to the density from the
identical concrete completely compacted). The advised compacting aspect for that
necessary workability of tremie concrete is 0.95 to 0.96 (Xanthakos 1994). Fresh
concrete is usually placed by way of tremie pipes and displaces the slurry by gravity
action only. In certain instances, insufficient self-compaction inside the concrete will
lead to defects, like reversed "hanging up", and "whirls" within the completed pile. If
the initial shear from the concrete is extremely high, the flow is likely to restrain,
leading to bentonite kept in locations not reached through the concrete (Xanthakos
1994).
Resistance to Segregation
The concrete mix ought to be cohesive and resistant against segregation, as
improperly developed mixes will segregate for the duration of placement, resulting
in inferior concrete containing honeycombs and permeable zones within the pile
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shaft. Concrete that bleeds or disintegrates under the pressures of their own weight
can also block the tremie pipe or accept bentonite.
Controlled Setting
The concrete should retain it fluidity thorough the depth of borehole in the course of
full placement with the concrete in the borehole and attain an appropriate strength
inside a reasonable time after placement. Retarders are used to prevent premature
stiffening of some cements in order to delay stiffening below tough putting
circumstances. The setting time should be checked against the time necessary to
full the position. The retarders ought to be used under competent technical advice
and after adequate testing.

Resistance to Aggressive conditions

The concrete must have high density and low permeability to face up to the
attainable (chemical and physical) attack of your aggressive sub-subsurface
condition. In some instances there is certainly an underground flow of water that
could lead to a weakening with the concrete right after it's placed, along with a
properly designed mix really should be resistant against such flow. Nevertheless, if
the rate of ground water flow is substantial, a lasting casing will be essential.
Good Mechanical Performance
The mechanical properties of hardened concrete may be happy generally in most
situations. Even so, suitable tensile strength for the concrete with out reinforcement
in piles and degree of bending and axial tension should be deemed in some
situations.
Reese and O'Neil (1988) emphasis how the design with the concrete mix should be
offered appropriate focus as well as the style in the mix depends strongly around
the certain job, along with the cement will be selected to be constant with all the
style requirement. They observed that bleeding isn't a problem for concrete mixes
that are effectively developed. The trial mix approach is generally used inside the
laboratory. It truly is necessary to follow-up to see the materials and proportions
used through the batch plant are those of which might be recommended. Inspection
in the batch plant ought to consist of checking the character, quantity and
temperature of the components of the mix, the aggregates, cement, water,
admixtures and from the completed mix for conformance using the specifications.
For testing in the job web site, the business of the job has to be in a way that time
required to execute tests in the job web site is kept to a minimum. Excessive jobsite testing can lead to dangerous effects. No delay in pouring really should take
place on account of field test.

Adding water for the concrete with very low slump on site to increase the
workability can have detrimental effect of decreasing the strength, compactability
and impermeability of the concrete. The results of adding water could be a
substantial change in the characteristics of mix and also the possibility of
segregation as the pour is produced. Segregation of concrete during pouring may
also lead to boost in permeability of concrete, especially in the leading area of piles
on account of upward migration water within the concrete mix. Adding of water to
the concrete on website need to 't be allowed unless specified.
MEHTOD OF CONCRETE POURING
The high quality of piles depends on a superb pouring procedure as well as on great
quality of concrete. In wet process, the concrete is generally placed by a steel
tremie pipe of 20-25cm in diameter (minimum six instances of coarse aggregate
size).
Prior to charging the tremie pipe with concrete, the foot of tremie wants to be
sealed by way of a plug of some descriptions could be inserted in the top rated of
tremie ahead of or right after the tremie is placed inside the bored hole as suitable.
You'll find two possible issues which are associate with all the initial charging of
tremie with concrete; the concrete can segregate during placement and the air in
tremie will avoid the full filling in the tremie. These difficulties may be avoided if the
tremie is filled slowly. Faulty initial charging of tremie during concreting can cause
entrapment of mud inside the concrete.
Excessive initial lifting of tremie can lead to possible distribution of leached concrete
brought on by concrete falling by way of the slurry. The base of tremie need to stay
well beneath the best from the column of fresh concrete all the time. In addition,
the tremie ought to not lifted and lowered rapidly to avoid the cause of
contamination of concrete with slurry. It really is recommended how the tremie pipe
ought to 't be lift and lowered quickly to start or restart the flow of the concrete
(Reese & Neil 1988). Even so Xanthakos (1994) recommended that when the
concrete is just not deposited easily the triemie pipes could be moved up and down
with movement not exceeding 30cm. In addition, the tremie pipes really should not
be moved horizontally.
In the region of high ground level, the concrete must be deposited across the
external water table ahead of the casing is withdrawn. The hydrostatic pressure in
the concrete column should be greater continually than the pressure in a column of
fluid outside of the casing.
Boring, Ramming & Jacking Overview
Auger Boring - Method consists of the use a dry rotating auger driven normally
through a jacked steel casing. Casing is jacked in as the auger advances. Boring
machine typically is placed in a pit on grade with the bore profile and exits into an
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exit pit. Using a two casing system, some steerage is possible. Method is widely used
for road crossings up to 60" in diameter and remains the most cost effective crossing
method in many areas. Can be a more expensive option when water table is high,
entry or exit pits require sheet-piling or when pits must be excavated in rock.
The track-type auger boring operation involves the following:
1. Jobsite preparation
This step involves the investigation of underground utilities and designing the
layout of the job site to secure sufficient space for equipment and materials.
2. Bore pit excavation and preparation
The entrance and exit pits (or drive and reception shafts) are excavated at this
step. The excavation should follow the instructions given by local codes and OSHA
manuals for pit wall sloping and sheeting. The typical pit is 11.5 m (38 ft) long and 3
or 3.5 m (10 or 12 ft) wide. The bottom of the pits is 0.8 m (2 ft 8 in) below the
center of casing (Miller the Driller 2002).
3. Equipment setup
Different types of equipment may be required on or around the boring site.
Excavators or cranes are needed to dig the boring pit and set the equipment. Boring
machines and tracks appropriate for the job are required. Augers must be placed in
the casing sections. A cutting head is selected depending on the ground conditions
and is installed in front of the first auger section.
The most critical part of the bore is the setting of the machine track on line and
grade. If the alignment is not right when the bore is started, it is not likely to
improve during the boring process. (picture, movie (This wmv file is 3.4 MB.
Windows Media Player is required to run this file.)) Once the track system is
installed, the auger boring machine and the thrust block are installed
(picture, movie (This wmv file is 3.1 MB. Windows Media Player is required to run
this file.)).
Other optional systems described below may be employed for the auger boring
operation.
Lubrication system: To reduce the friction between the casing and soil, a
lubricant may be applied to the outer skin of the casing. This can also reduce the
requirement for the thrust capacity of the boring machine. Two basic types of
lubricants are bentonite and polymers.
Water level: The water level is a device to measure the grade of pipe casing as it
is being installed.
4. Preparation of casing
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In most cases, the lead casing is prepared in the yard prior to its transport to the
jobsite and arrives at the jobsite with the auger inside and the cutting head
attached to the leading end of the auger. A partial band at or near the head end of
the casing is recommended when boring in most soil conditions. The band compacts
the soil and relieves pressure on the casing by decreasing the skin friction.

5. Installation of casing
When casings are prepared and auger boring is setup, the leading casing is moved
onto the track and connected to the boring machine by welding (movie (This wmv
file is 3.5 MB. Windows Media Player is required to run this file.)). Collaring, which
is the first operation, pushes the cutting head into the ground without lifting the
casing out of the saddle. When about 1.3 m (4 ft) of casing has entered the ground,
the engine is shut down, the saddle is removed, and the line and grade of the
casing is checked.
After the first section of the casing has been installed, the casing is cleaned by
rotating the auger until all the spoil is removed. The machine is then shut down and
the auger pin in the spoil chamber is removed. The machine is then moved to the
rear of the track and is again shut down. Then the next section of the casing and
auger are lowered into position. The augers at the face are aligned flight to flight,
the hexagonal joint is coupled and the auger pin is installed. Once the casing to be
installed is aligned with the installed casing, the two are tacked together then
welded fully. The process is then repeated until the bore is completed
(picture, movie(This wmv file is 3.7 MB. Windows Media Player is required to run this
file.)).
6. Completion of drilling
Once the bore is completed, the machine is shut down and the cutting head is
removed. The casing is then cleaned by rotating the augers in the normal direction.
The torque plates are then removed to detach the machine from the casing and the
augers are retracted till the coupling is well outside the casing. The auger section is
uncoupled from the machine and the other auger sections, and is then removed.
The machine is then coupled to the next auger and the process is repeated till all
the auger sections are removed.
7. Site restoration
Once al the augers are removed, the boring machine and the tracks are removed
from the pit, the desired utilities are installed through the casing and the required
connections are made. The entrance and exit shafts are then backfilled.
8. Cradle type auger boring
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The cradle type auger boring method is suitable for projects that provide adequate
room. The bore pit size is a function of the bore diameter and the length of the bore.
This method is commonly used on petroleum pipeline projects where large rights-ofway are essential.
This method offers the advantage that all work is performed on the ground level
rather than in the pit. The bore pit is excavated several feet deeper than the invert
of the casing pipe to allow space for the collection of spoil and water as the bore
hole is excavated. The method does not require any thrust structures, however, a
jacking lug must be securely installed at the bore entrance embankment .

PILE FOUNDATIONS
A pile is basically a long cylinder of a strong material such as concrete that is
pushed into the ground to act as a steady support for structures built on top of it.
Pile foundations are used in the following situations:
When there is a layer of weak soil at the surface. This layer cannot support the
weight of the building, so the loads of the building have to bypass this layer and be
transferred to the layer of stronger soil or rock that is below the weak layer.

When a building has very heavy, concentrated loads, such as in a high rise
structure, bridge, or water tank.
Pile foundations are capable of taking higher loads than spread footings.

There are two types of pile foundations,

each of which works in its own way.
End Bearing Piles
In end bearing piles, the bottom end of the pile rests on a layer of especially strong
soil or rock. The load of the building is transferred through the pile onto the strong
layer. In a sense, this pile acts like a column. The key principle is that the bottom
end rests on the surface which is the intersection of a weak and strong layer. The
load therefore bypasses the weak layer and is safely transferred to the strong layer.
Friction Piles
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Friction piles work on a different principle. The pile transfers the load of the building
to the soil across the full height of the pile, by friction. In other words, the entire
surface of the pile, which is cylindrical in shape, works to transfer the forces to the
soil.
To visualize how this works, imagine you are pushing a solid metal rod of say 4mm
diameter into a tub of frozen ice cream. Once you have pushed it in, it is strong
enough to support some load. The greater the embedment depth in the ice cream,
the more load it can support. This is very similar to how a friction pile works. In a
friction pile, the amount of load a pile can support is directly proportionate to its
length.