Driven Piles

are
Tested Piles!
Advance slides by using PgDn or right arrow
A Presentation of
From a stick in the mud
to a technologically
proven tool, driven piles
are as old as history and
as new as tomorrow!
Archeologists have determined that driven piles have been used since Neolithic
times. The lake dwellers of what is now Switzerland, northern Italy, Austria and
eastern France constructed their villages on driven pile supported platforms as a
defensive measure. The builders of the ancient village discovered at Wangen,
Switzerland utilized 50,000 piles in the construction of their village. Primitive
civilizations around the world have used driven piles and poles to support their
homes in water and in flood prone areas. Predecessors to the Aztecs in the Mexico
City area built their sites on lakes in the area on pile supported mats topped with
soil called “Chinampas” or on areas contained by driven piles and filled with soil
and stone. Ancient tribes in the Java Sea area built stilted villages. Ancient
Chinese engineers built bridges on driven piles.
The Greeks and Romans utilized driven piles to support bridges, aqueducts and other
structures in poor soils, many of which are in use today. Bridges crossing the major
rivers of Europe were constructed by the Romans to maintain control of their empire.
The Roman Circus at Arles in France was founded on driven piles and in modern
archeological excavations found to be in good condition and to have supported their
loads for about a thousand years until the structure fell into disuse. Amsterdam was
founded in the early 1300’s. During a major growth period in the 1600’s the digging
of canals created a hundred man-made islands for housing. These residential areas
were connected by 300 pile supported bridges. Even today, most of the city is pile
supported. Other examples of historical use of driven piles abound throughout
Europe.

Roman Aqueduct Model of Pile Foundation, Circus of Arles

Equipment used to drive piles by the ancient builders developed very slowly and was
obviously very simple in design in the early stages. Prior to about 1600 all post and
pile drivers were hand operated. After that time developments began to be made
using other sources of power.

From this, to…

These, primitive rigs, to…
An early 20th
Century skid rig, …
A modern barge mounted rig utilizing an accurately placed template.
Today owners, engineers and
contractors have a whole arsenal
of modern technology and tools
available to them to assist in
providing efficient and economical
deep foundation solutions.
From site investigation to design, better understanding
of soil properties and new computerized tools are
available to engineers. Installation problems,
equipment capabilities and load carrying
characteristics of various pile types are able to be
anticipated with a high degree of accuracy even before
the design is completed. Better understanding of the
performance and strength of materials, in conjunction
with new and stronger materials, and working
together with modern codes, permit greater
efficiencies in the selection of pile types.
Modern equipment can be employed by contractors to
ensure safe, quick and adequate installation of driven
piles. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) aid in survey
and accurate layout of pile locations. New hammers
are capable of energy adjustments and monitoring to
provide the required hammer performance while
protecting the piles from damage. Instruments can be
used during testing and installation to confirm the
design and pile load capabilities. Testing techniques
are also available to check the performance of
previously driven piles to compare them with the
requirements of the specifications.
 A driven pile is a
tested pile!

Definitions and comparison to

other deep foundation elements.
 A pile can be defined as a
structural column installed in earth
and provided to offer support or to
resist forces.
A Driven Pile is a relatively long,
slender column, provided to offer
support or to resist forces, made of
preformed material, and having a
predetermined shape and size that can
be physically inspected prior to, and
during installation, and which is
installed by impact hammering,
vibrating, or pushing into the earth.
A Drilled Pile is made of concrete or grout
and cast or poured, in a plastic state, into
a drilled hole in the earth. Augercast,
Drilled Shafts, Drilled Cast-in-Place and,
their variations are all forms of drilled
piles. Completed drilled piles cannot be
easily inspected after installation and can
be difficult to install in very soft or loose
soils, wet, and marine conditions.
A Drilled Pile removes soil from the
ground and the resulting round hole is
filled with concrete or grout.

A Driven Pile is installed as a whole,

rigid, structural member into the
ground from the surface. Driven Piles
are said to be either “displacement” or
“non-displacement” piles.
Displacement Piles are considered solid
shapes that during installation,
displace the soil laterally.

Non-displacement Piles are of hollow

or “outline” shape and displace little or
no soil during installation.
Basic Pile Installation
Techniques
(driven vs. drilling)
 Drilled Piles are
installed by drilling
a hole in the soil,
typically using an
auger. Grout or
concrete is placed in
the hole to form the
pile.
Augered Cast-in-Place Pile Installation
Drilled Shaft Installation
Driven piles are installed using an impact
hammer, vibro driver or hydraulic press and
performance is routinely monitored during
operation. Modern driven pile installation
equipment is capable of providing consistent,
known energy that can be easily measured
during operation. Advancement of the pile into
the earth can be monitored and recorded for
future study and comparison to other tested and
installed piles.
A Driven Pile is one
which is of
predetermined solid
material, shape and
size, that can be
seen, felt, and,
inspected prior to
installation and
which is installed by
driving or pushing
into the earth.
 Types of Driven Piles

Driven Piles can be classified by

their structural use (design
function) or, by the materials
from which they are made.
Piles classed by structural use will fall into one
of the following groups or combinations of these
groups.

•Resisting Vertical Compressive Forces

•Resisting Lateral Forces
•Resisting Tension Forces
Resisting Vertical
Compressive
Forces - where the
anticipated support
requires resistance to
vertical compressive
loads, such as for
buildings, bridges,
docks, towers, tanks,
etc.
Resisting Lateral Forces - where the forces to
be supported are from the side or laterally, as in
sheet piles, mooring and fender piles and other
similar situations.
Resisting Tension Forces - counteracting wind or
overturn loads (guyed anchors for towers, signs);
opposing buoyancy and floatation forces as in
tanks, pools, mooring pile, etc.; load balance in
footing design limitations, etc.
 Piles classed by the materials
from which they are made will
be one of the following or
combinations of these:
• Timber
• Concrete (Precast & Precast-prestressed).
• Pipe Piles (Open-end & Closed-end
concrete filled).
• Structural Steel & Aluminum Shapes ("H”
sections, sheets, combo piles).
• Synthetic materials (fiberglass, polymers,
vinyl, etc.)
 Driven piles can be either displacement
piles, i.e. of solid shape or, non-
displacement, i.e. hollow or of outline
shape. Sheet piles are specialized types of
non-displacement piles formed in sheets
and having connections on the edges to
permit interlocking with adjacent piles.
Composites and combinations of these are
also used.
 Timber Piles
Timber piles are made from the trunks of tall, straight trees.
The more typical species are conifers such as Southern
Yellow Pine and Douglas Fir. Untreated timber piles are
suitable for temporary situations and in situations where
the top of the pile will always be in soil below groundwater
level. All permanent timber piles driven in marine
environments and where the butt (upper end) will be above
groundwater levels require a preservative treatment to resist
rot and insect and marine borer attack. Combinations of
untreated timber topped by a metal shell filled with concrete
are in common use in some areas of the U.S. where ground
water is found to be within approximately 10 feet of the
surface.
Timber Piles (Displacement Pile)
Timber Piles (Displacement Pile)
Timber Piles (Displacement Pile)
Combination Piles

(Untreated timber with a concrete filled metal shell)

 Concrete Piles
Concrete piles (Precast & Precast-Prestressed) are commonly
manufactured in solid or hollow form and, square, octagonal
or round cross section. Modern manufacturing employs a
technique of pre-stressing which increases resistance to
bending and reduces the amount of internal steel
reinforcement required. This process involves the placing of
special cables in the form used the make the piles. The cables
are pre-tensioned before the placement of the concrete and,
after the concrete begins curing, the tension is released. This
has the effect of providing internal compressive forces in the
pile and, increasing stiffness and toughness of the pile,
permitting longer lengths and harder driving. Because of the
inherent resistance to corrosion, concrete piles provide a good
material for marine applications.
Solid Precast Concrete (Displacement Pile)
Solid Precast Concrete (Displacement Pile)
Solid Precast Concrete (Displacement Pile)
Concrete Cylinder Pile (Non-Displacement)
Concrete Cylinder Pile (Non-Displacement)
Combination Piles

(Tapered Concrete & Pipe Piles)

Combination Piles

(Precast Concrete & “H” Pile Points)

 Pipe Piles
Pipe piles made of steel can be of varying diameters from
less than 6 inches to as large as 8 feet or more. The
strength of the pipe pile is largely determined by the
thickness of the wall and the strength of the steel. In
situations where additional strength or resistance to
bending is required concrete is placed in the pile after
driving. Pipe piles can be driven either with a steel plate
welded on the bottom (closed-end) as a displacement pile
or open-ended as a non-displacement pile. Pipe piles can
be easily spliced to extend the piles when required, either
by welding or through the use of mechanical connectors.
Pipe piles can be coated to provide protection from
corrosion where required. A unique form of the pipe
pile is the tapered steel pile, driven with a closed end and
having increasing diameters from the tip. This wedge
shape provides additional load capacity in some
applications and can be increased in length by splicing a
section of uniform diameter pipe pile to the top.
Closed-End Pipe Pile (Displacement Pile)
Closed End Pipe (Displacement Pile)
Closed-End Pipe Pile (Displacement Pile)
Closed-End Pipe Pile (Displacement Pile)

(with corrosion protection coating)

Closed-End Pipe Pile (Displacement Pile)

(with Spin Fins© for added tension capacity)

Open End Pipe (Non-Displacement Pile)
Open End Pipe (Non-Displacement Pile)
Open End Pipe (Non-Displacement Pile)
Closed-End Pipe Pile (Displacement Pile)

(Tapered, fluted steel piles)

Structural Shapes - Steel & Aluminum

Piles have been made from structural steel shapes for over
125 years and are commonly rolled steel formed into an
“H” cross section shape. “I” beams and fabrications of
railroad rail have also been used. Structural steel piles are,
non displacement piles and have an advantage of high
strength to weight ratio, great bending resistance, ease of
splicing for longer lengths and by their nature, lower rates
of soil displacement to affect adjacent areas. Steel is the
most common material used for sheet piles and in some
instances are combined with other shapes to form “combo
piles” for use in applications requiring additional bending
strength.
“H” Piles (Non-Displacement Pile)
“H” Piles (Non-Displacement Pile)

(Extending “H” piles by welding)

“H” Piles (Non-Displacement Pile)
“I ” Beam Piles (Non-Displacement Pile)
 Sheet Piles
Steel sheet piles in a “Z”, arched or, flat cross section are
other steel piles in common use. Sheet Piles are unique in
that they are designed to be joined with adjacent piles by
the use of integral interlocks. Galvanized light gauge steel
and Aluminum sheet piles are gaining acceptance for
lightly loaded sheeting applications and offer the
advantage of corrosion resistance in bulkhead
applications.
Steel Sheet Piles
Steel Sheet Piles
Steel Sheet Piles
 Combination (Combo) Piles

(Steel Sheet
Piles & WF
Beams)
 Synthetic Materials
Vinyl, Fiberglass and, polymers are a few of the
recently used materials for piles, particularly in special
applications. Vinyl sheet piles are becoming a
common application where aesthetics are important
and the lateral loads are not great. Examples of this
are found in residential waterfront bulkheads where
an owner can have a clean white wall at the waters
edge. Fiberglass reinforced plastic (or polymer) piles
are used in applications where resiliency or spring
action is required, such as vessel mooring or fender
piles along a dock. Other materials and applications
are employed when special concerns require them.
Vinyl Sheet Piles
 Pile Installation Equipment
The primary tools used in the actual driving
(installing) of piles are
•Impact Hammers,
•Vibratory Driver / Extractors
•Special Hydraulic Presses
•Supporting Equipment - power sources,
hoisting & material handling equipment, etc.
 Impact Hammers
In the simplest sense, Impact Hammers are those which
advance the pile in the soil by the raising of a weight (or
ram) which is then allowed to fall or, is accelerated
downward to strike the pile and “drive” it downward. In
use all Impact Hammers are provided with an attachment
(called a drive cap, bonnet, helmet or sometimes a hood)
between the top of the pile and the lower end or base of the
hammer. The purpose of this attachment is to adapt the
end of the pile to the base of the hammer, to maintain
alignment of the pile to the hammer and lead guides and,
to protect the top of the pile from excessive impact shock
forces. Most caps incorporate a cushioning element to aid
in reducing shock loads to the hammer and the pile.
 Types of Impact Hammers
Impact Hammers are identified by
their method of operation or the
motive force employed. They are
generally identified as:
•Drop Hammers
•Air or Steam Hammers
•Diesel Hammers
•Hydraulic Impact Hammers
Drop Hammers
Drop Hammers are the simplest and oldest type of
Impact Hammer. In this style of hammer, an outside
lifting force (a winch) raises a weight and then releases
it to free fall, impacting the drive cap or follow block
resting on the top of the pile, driving the pile into the
ground. The mass of the weight or ram is usually
known and, if the height of the drop is regulated, the
driving energy (kinetic energy) can be determined and
regulated. Frictional losses, especially in the winch,
diminish substantially the actual energy output of this
type hammer. Though not often used, in some
applications, the techniques of old are the economical
and practical solution to some of today’s foundation
problems.
 Drop Hammer

(With follow
block / drive
cap on pile)
Air (or Steam) Hammers
These Hammers are operated by compressed air or steam provided
from an air compressor or steam boiler. This motive power is used to
raise the ram to a predetermined height and, through automatic valve
action, the motive power is shut off. The ram coasts upward some
distance, and then, is allowed to fall under the force of gravity. As the
ram reaches the limit of downward travel and strikes the top of the
drive cap, the pile is driven downward, and the valve actuates, moving
the ram upward to start the process over.
In some styles of hammers, additional air (or steam) is introduced into
the hammer at the top of the stroke to accelerate the downward travel
of the ram. These are referred to as double acting or differential
hammers.
Air (or Steam) Hammers
Air (or Steam) Hammers
Diesel Hammers
Diesel Hammers operate as single cylinder, internal combustion diesel
engines. A mixture of atomized diesel fuel and air are ignited by
compression caused by the falling ram. The resulting combustion
causes the ram to travel upward. The height of the ram's stroke is
determined by the amount of diesel fuel used in combustion and by soil
resistance. When the ram reaches its maximum stroke height, gravity
then sends the ram downward. As the ram travels downward fresh air
and fuel are compressed in the combustion chamber by the ram's
downward fall. When the ram reaches the bottom of the stroke it
impacts an anvil, driving the pile downward and simultaneously
igniting the fuel to start the process over again. Some diesel hammers
also incorporate a closed, air filed chamber at the top of the hammer
where the air is compressed by the ram’s upward travel, and ultimately
accelerates the ram downward for extra energy. This type of diesel
hammer is said to be double acting, and operates at greater blows per
minute.
Diesel Hammers
Diesel Hammers
Hydraulic Impact Hammers
Hydraulic impact hammers employ a hydraulic power-pack,
essentially a large engine driven pump system, which pumps special
oil under high pressure, through hoses connected to the hammer.
The hammer consists of a ram/piston that is forced upward by the
pressure of the oil. As the ram approaches the predetermined
uppermost travel, automatic valve actuation causes a rapid release of
pressure, allowing the ram to coast slightly before falling, under the
force of gravity. Double acting hydraulic hammers utilize hydraulic
pressure above the ram to accelerate the downward movement of the
ram, increasing the driving force and speed of operation. Hydraulic
hammers employ sophisticated control systems, providing variable
speed and stroke and therefore, precise regulation of energy
transmission to the pile. Further, most hydraulic hammers utilize
built-in monitoring devices to record the particulars of the driving
operation - rate of penetration, frequency and energy of the blows,
etc.
Hydraulic Impact Hammers
Hydraulic Impact Hammers
Vibro Driver/Extractors
Vibro Drivers employ motor driven matched pairs of eccentric
weights, revolving on horizontally mounted shafts, at relatively
high speeds in counter rotating directions. Because of the
synchronization and timing of the rotations, horizontal forces are
cancelled and the resulting vertical forces provide a rapid vertical
motion to a rigidly clamped pile. The weight of the machine and
the rapid vertical motion provides the driving force to advance the
pile in the soil. The motive power can be provided by electric, or
more typically hydraulic, motors mounted in the drive head.
Auxiliary power packs provide energy to the on-board motors. By
its nature of operation, the Vibro Driver is most effective in
granular soils, and in driving non-displacement piles. Vibro
drivers are very effective in installing non-displacement piles -
sheet piles, H piles, and open pipe piles. They are also usually
very effective in the extraction of all types of piles.
Vibro Driver/Extractors
Vibro Driver/Extractors
Hydraulic Press Installers
Hydraulic Press installers utilize reactive resistance to anchor a
hydraulically operated jacking system (rams) to push piles into the
ground. Reactive resistance can be from temporary weights or
adjacent previously installed piles working in tension. Hydraulic
Presses utilize a power pack for motive power and are capable of
installing relatively long length piles in confined work areas.
Additionally, this installation technique is very nearly vibration free
and can operate with little noise. These types of installers work most
efficiently with non-displacement piles such as sheet piles or open
end pipe and H piles.
Hydraulic Press Installer
Hydraulic Press Installer
Pile Rigs & Configurations
Piledriving rigs are configured in many different ways, depending
on the task requirements. However, there are common elements
in all configurations. Each must have a method of hoisting and
positioning the pile and a means of handling the installation
equipment. In addition, the pile and the hammer or driver must
be maintained in alignment during driving of the pile. A pile lead
or a template is utilized to maintain alignment and position of the
pile and driver. Additionally, the complete apparatus must be
positioned for successive operations.

Basically, there are three general scenarios for pile rig

applications - Land Based Rigs, Inland Marine Rigs, and
Offshore Marine Rigs. Each of these will have common features
and each can be found in modified arrangements as well.
Land Based Rigs
Land based rigs generally consist of a crane (either a crawler or
truck crane) mounted pile rig. Common arrangements can be
fixed lead or swinging lead types, with or without a template for
guiding the piles during installation. A lead is a vertical structure
whose purpose is to align and guide the hammer and pile. Fixed
leads are “fixed, or rigidly attached to the crane boom and often
extend above the boom tip (cantilevered fixed lead). Fixed leads
which do not extend above the boom tip are often referred to as
“under slung leads”. This system uses a bottom brace or
“spotter” to hold the lower end of the lead in position. A swinging
lead is suspended from the boom tip, rather than being fixed to it,
and may either be fixed at the bottom by use of stabbing points in
the ground or pinning to a template. Other specially designed
arrangements are also utilized, including specifically designed pile
rigs common in Europe and more recently seen in the US, with
adaptations utilizing crawler excavator components.
Land Based Rigs
Cantilevered Fixed Lead

(With Fixed Bottom Brace) (With Spotter)

Land Based Rigs
Under slung Swinging Lead

(With Fixed Bottom Brace) (With Stabbing points)

Land Based Rigs
European Style, Fixed Lead with Fixed Bottom Brace

(Driving Aft Batter with Hydraulic Hammer)

Land Based Rigs
European Style, Fixed Lead on Crawler Lower
Inland Marine Rigs
Inland marine and shallow water applications generally require a
floating platform to support a crane and the related tools
necessary for pile driving. An alternative to this is the use of a
fixed platform such as a trestle. A variation of this is the
utilization of the previously constructed work as a platform to
advance the project. As in land based work, the configuration of
the rig can employ fixed leads, swinging leads and or a template.
Sometimes contractors elect to employ the bell system typically
used offshore. On occasion, because of limited access or other
operating restraints, small, truckable, barges are attached together
to form a larger work platform.
Inland Marine Rigs

(Swinging Lead with Template)

Inland Marine Rigs

(With Fixed Bottom Brace) (Swinging Lead with Template)

Inland Marine Rigs

(Driving sheeting from sectional barges)

Inland Marine Rigs

(Working from Trestle)

Inland Marine Rigs

(Working from Trestle)

Offshore Marine Rigs
Offshore piledriving is generally in much deeper water depths than
inland marine work. The additional consideration of providing a work
platform suitable for open sea operations distinguishes this type work.
The bell or, “offshore lead” used in deep water marine environments, is a
special, relatively short, swinging lead having a “bell” guide at the lower
end to assist and hold alignment of the pile and hammer. It is a specially
designed structure used to handle the much larger equipment and piles
found in these unique conditions. A template is commonly utilized to
maintain pile location in the unstable environment of the sea. Alignment
and placement of the pile and rig is frequently determined by GPS and
satellite navigation triangulation.
Offshore Marine Rigs

(A Pile Supported Offshore Oil Platform)

Offshore Marine Rigs

(Offshore Pile Rig Using a Template – With Hammers on Deck)

Offshore Marine Rigs

(Hydraulic Offshore Hammers on Deck)

 Offshore Marine Rigs

(Hydraulic Offshore
Hammer capable of
driving underwater to deep
depths)
Offshore Marine Rigs

(GPS Positioning for Offshore Pile Locations)

Quality Controls and Product
Assurance
With the advent of increased material
strengths and recent advances in
installation equipment, greater
assurances of quality are also available
to owners, designers, and contractors.
Design Standards
Building and design codes are
being modernized to take
advantage of new technology and
to meet ever increasing demands
of cost, efficiency, and facility of
installation. PDCA and its
members are active in these
efforts. The association has been
instrumental in developing and
distributing the PDCA
Recommended Design
Specification for Bearing Piles.
PDCA co-distributes FHWA’s National Highway Institute’s Design and
Construction of Driven Pile Foundations (a design guide and workshop
manual).
PDCA sponsors the dissemination of up-to-date information through the
annual “Design & Installation of Cost-Efficient Driven Piles Conference”.
Material Standards & Inspections

Modern standards recognize advancements in

increased strength and application of materials as well
as the development of new materials. Driven piles, by
their nature, are manufactured prior to installation.
This affords for visual inspection and testing to assure
compliance with the material standards and
specifications prior to installation.
Testing During Design
Frequently the first test made during the design of the foundation is the
taking and analysis of soil samples. Core samples are made to depths
deeper than the deepest anticipated pile tip embedment. Analysis of the
soil properties can determine the size, type and depth of the pile.
Driven piles are often” proof tested” prior to driving permanent piles. Representative
piles are driven in simulation of job site conditions, and by monitoring and
recording, the effect of incrementally applied loads capacity of the piles can be
confirmed.
Dynamic testing of piles can be accomplished by monitoring instrumented piles
during driving, both during the test pile phase, and during permanent pile
installation to confirm bearing capacity and/or integrity.
Additionally, or in lieu of load testing, soil, pile, and hammer combinations can be
analyzed by computer driven wave equation analysis and fairly accurate predictions
of capacity and hammer performance provide confirmation of the design, drivability
of the pile and the adequacy of the proposed hammer.
Installation Inspection &
Confirmation
During driving of production piles, representative piles can be checked,
blow by blow, by dynamic analysis of instrumented piles, verifying
integrity of the pile, energy transfer, hammer performance and, pile
capacity at the time of driving.
Completed piles can be readily checked for integrity by use of “Pile Integrity
Testing”.
In cases where additional confirmation is desired, new load testing methods can be
employed to provide results quickly.
Logging of pile driving can monitor pile installation, blow by blow, and pile by pile,
and can be accomplished manually or automatically, assuring that each pile is driven
as required for the design. The pile logs can be reviewed and readily compared with
information developed during the test pile program.
 Overview of the Process from
Design to Finished Installation
Planning
Once the owner defines the parameters of the use and type of
structure, the design team goes to work planning the design.

• Preliminary Analysis & Design (Engineering & Geotechnical

Analysis) - This stage includes site and soil investigation and,
preliminary calculations to determine the probable load
capacities of various types of foundation elements.

• Confirmation of Engineering & Design - Often times “Probe”,

Indicator”, and/ or ”Test Piles” are driven at this stage and,
"Load Tests” are performed to confirm the design parameters.
(This stage also often occurs after Contract Award and prior
to the start of production pile driving.)
Bidding & Contract Award
Project plans and specifications, once developed, are provided to
the bidders for the preparation of their estimates and bids.

Contract Award is made on the basis of bidder responses, through

negotiation, or a combination of these. Some design-build
projects combine the design and construction responsibilities and
the winning bidder actively participates in the design process.

Frequently, as a result of information learned during previous

testing and review, changes can be made to the project design to
provide more efficient and economical results, either through
material and time savings, or through contractor value
engineering suggestions.
Pile Installation
Close coordination with the design team during installation
ensures a trouble free installation. Frequent review of job
progress avoids problems and confirms that all piles are driven as
intended and adequate for the project requirements. Questionable
piles can be evaluated and taken care of in a timely manner to
avoid unnecessary impact on overall progress.

Unanticipated site condition problems can be solved through open

and forthright communication between all parties concerned.
Quality Control
Material inspection reports give assurances of compliance to the
specifications and job requirements. A pile log of driving
provides a record of progress and a check on the adequacy of
each pile, affording the opportunity to take timely corrective
actions when necessary. Thus, every pile is a tested pile!

On larger, and on more critical projects additional testing and

monitoring is undertaken; with additional dynamic or static
testing frequently being employed. When taken with the
information developed during pile testing, compliance to the
design is assured.
Completion & Acceptance
Upon completion of driving, a review of all inspection reports, and
test and driving records, should reveal all piles to have been
installed satisfactorily for the design.

Should problems be revealed, modern testing/inspection tools will

be able to properly identify those problems so that appropriate
corrective actions can be undertaken.

Once all are satisfied that all piles comply with contract
requirements, the only thing remaining is that the contractor
be paid! The owner having received with assurance, the
foundation he requires and, the piling contractor receiving not
only the satisfaction of a job done well, but the rewards for his
efforts!
 Acknowledgements
And
Sources of Additional
Information
This presentation is directed to those
interested in learning about driven piles and
their benefits to solid foundation installation
and design. It is intended to be an
introduction and guide to further study about
driven piles and their use and application.
 The following PDCA Member Firms (and their contact
employees) have contributed significantly to the success of this
project. We wish to acknowledge them and their assistance, for
without their help the project would not have been possible.
They are to be commended for their involvement and support of
PDCA and its programs.

American Piledriving Equipment, American Wood Preservers Institute’s

Inc. Pole, Piling and Timber Council
John White Dean Matthews

Balfour Beatty Construction, Inc. Berminghammer Foundation Equipment

Mark Johnnie Patrick Bermingham

CS Marine Constructors, Inc. Ed Waters & Sons Contracting Co., Inc.

Mark Weisz Van Hogan

Gulf Coast Pre-Stress, Inc. IHC Hydorhammer B.V.

Max J. Williams Geert Jonker
 Johnson Bros. Corporation Liebherr Nenzing Crane Co.
Dan Hickman Wolfgang Herzog

Link Belt Construction Equipment Co. Menck, GmbH

Michael Stewart Doug Scaggs

Mississippi Valley Equipment Co. Peirce Engineering, Inc.

Mike Whistler John J. Peirce

Peratrovich, Nottingham & Drage, Inc. Pile Dynamics, Inc.

Dennis Nottingham Garland Likins

Skyline Steel Specialty Piling Systems, Inc.

Joao Martins Steve Whitty
This presentation is a result of the efforts of
the Communications Committee of the Pile
Driving Contractors Association:

Van Hogan, Chairman

Garland Likins, Member

Doug Scaggs, Member

Steve Whitty, Member

The Pile Driving Contractors Association (PDCA) is an organization
of pile driving contractors that advocates the increased use of driven
piles for deep foundations and earth retention systems. To do this, we:

Promote the use of driven pile solutions in all cases where they are
effective.

Support educational programs for engineers on the design and

efficiency of driven piles and for contractors on improving
installation procedures.

Encourage and support research that will improve the reliability,

usefulness, and cost effectiveness of driven piles.

Give contractors a larger voice in establishing procedures and

standards for the installation and design of driven piles.
For membership information, additional information about
subject matter presented herein, or to contact any of the
contributors directly, please contact PDCA Headquarters:
Pile Driving Contractors Association
P. O. Box 66208
Orange Park, FL 32065
(888) 311-7322
www.piledrivers.org
execdir@piledrivers.org

©2003 by PDCA – PDCA authorizes the duplication and copying of this

material for non-commercial, educational purposes, so long as it is not
altered, and all references to PDCA remain intact and are shown in all
copies and presentations.