Piling machines are heavy construction equipment used for pile...

Piling machines are heavy construction equipment used for pile foundation works

Posté 2024-02-28 13:42:04

1KB

Introduction
Piling machines are heavy construction equipment used for pile foundation works. They are used to install foundation support elements called piles into the ground to provide a stable platform on which to build structures like buildings, bridges, towers and more. With growing infrastructure development activities across the world, the demand for piling machines has increased significantly over the past few decades. In this article, we will discuss in detail about various types of piling machines and their uses in construction projects.

Types of Piling Machines
There are different types of piling machines used for various piling techniques:

Impact Driven Pile Hammer
Impact driven pile hammers are one of the most commonly used piling machines. They drive piles into the ground using repetitive impacts from a heavy hammer or ram. Depending on the size and power of the hammer, they can install different types of piles like concrete, timber, steel etc. into ground. Some notable types include diesel hammers, hydraulic hammers, single-actor hammers and double-actor hammers. Impact driven pile hammers are suitable for installing piles in weathered rock and dense soil conditions.

Vibratory Driven Pile Hammer
Vibratory pile hammers operate on the principle of vibration rather than impact. They have an internal eccentric weight that rotates and generates strong vibrations which install the pile through particle rearrangement in soil. Vibratory hammers are generally used for installing piles in loose to medium dense soil conditions. They offer advantages like lower noise levels compared to impact hammers. However, their driving capacity reduces with depth as compared to impact hammers.

Drilling Machines
Drilling machines are used to form boreholes into the ground for inserting piles using methods like cast-in-situ concreting. The commonly used drilling machines are cage bored piling machines, crawlers, hydraulic cranes etc. Cage bored piling machines are used for drilling large diameter bored piles up to 5-6 meters. They have a rotating boring auger on telescopic leads for boring into ground to required depth. Drilling machines are suitable for installing piles in difficult ground conditions like weathered rock.

Auger Cast-in-Place Piling Machine
An auger cast-in-place Piling Machines has a hollow-stem continuous flight auger attached to a crane or drilling rig. It bores a hole into the ground while simultaneously removing soil. Then wet concrete is poured through the hollow stem as the auger is slowly withdrawn, leaving the cast-in-place pile. This technique is commonly used for installing concrete piles in soft to medium dense soil conditions. It is a faster process compared to conventional cast-in-situ piling.

Applications of Piling Machines
Piling machines find wide usage in infrastructure construction projects for developing strong foundation systems. Some key application areas include:

- Building construction: Piling machines install foundation piles to support large commercial and residential buildings over weak soils.

- Bridges and flyovers: Impact and vibratory hammers are used to drive precast concrete or timber piles to form pile caps and trestles for bridges.

- Dams and canals: Piles are installed by drilling and vibratory machines for cofferdams, retaining walls and spillways of dams, barrages and canals.

- Ports and harbors: Piled foundations provide stability for jetties, berths and other maritime structures against forces of water.

- Tunnels and metro lines: Piling supports shafts, tunnels and underground stations engineered through difficult ground and water table zones.

- Power projects: Piles help establish foundations for plants housing heavy turbines over soft soils.

Future Scope and Conclusion
In closing, piling machines will continue playing a critical role in expanding infrastructure globally. As renewable energy and transportation undergo upgrades, demand for technologically advanced piling rigs is expected to swell. Automation, electronics and robotics may transform piling equipment. Strict environment regulations may spur alternatives like replacement of diesel units. With innovations, piling machines will stay central to developing sturdy foundations powering economic growth worldwide.