Piling Logistics
Piling requires a lot of heavy machinery, equipment, and vehicles
It's important to understand where heavy machinery, equipment and vehicles (also known as plant) will be situated on site.
Thought needs to be given to how plant and building materials such as concrete and steel will get to where they're needed.
The site should have a logistics plan drawing showing what the intent for this is.
Is there a logistics plan in place already? Have a look at the Construction Phase Plan
Have all plant, materials and required access/egress routed been considered?
Think through the route of concrete from the wagon to in the ground as a pile.
The main things to consider:
1. Piling Rig: A powerful machine which uses hydraulic systems designed to drive or drill piles into the ground.
Most piling rigs are very heavy and require a piling platform so as not to damage the ground below - this is covered in the temporary works section.
Piling Rig
Are there any obstructions for the piling rig to get to every pile location?
Is there suitable access roads for the rig to be delivered to site?
Are there any overhead obstructions which could clash with the mast of the rig?
Due to their large size, many piling rigs are classified as wide loads when being transported on public roads and will be subject to restrictions.
Advance warning may have to be given to highway authorities, the police and any bridge and structure owners like Network Rail. They may also only be allowed on public roads within certain hours.
2. Hammers: Diesel, hydraulic or vibration hammers which will be used to push the piles into the ground if using driven pile installation.
These are only required for driven piling methods and are usually delivered separately and connected to the piling rig on site.
Is there enough of a lay down area where the hammer can be offloaded and connected to the piling rig?
3. Augers: These can be seen as very large drill bits, sometimes delivered in sections and connected together on site. Used for both bored and CFA piles.
Is there enough of a lay down area where the auger/auger sections can be offloaded and connected to the piling rig?
Close up of an auger
4. Crane: Essential for handling and lifting heavy piles and equipment during the piling process. Likelihood is there will not be a tower crane installed on site when piling commences so a mobile crane will be needed.
These can be very heavy so a temporary works engineer may have to run some checks on the ground.
Where can the mobile crane set up? How many times will it have to relocate?
What is the maximum lifting capacity of the crane? Is it enough for the heaviest lift?
Render of a mobile crane
5. Concrete Pump: Used to pump concrete into bored piles or CFA piles, concrete is offloaded into the pump from concrete wagons or the agitator and a line takes it to the pile locations or rig.
That means there needs to be vehicular access to the pump for the concrete wagon.
Where will this be located? Direct access may be required for a concrete wagon
What's the longest the concrete line can be? Will it need to be relocated?
Render of a concrete pump Render of a concrete wagon
6. Concrete Agitator: A holding drum that enables an amount of wet concrete to be discharged as and when it is required – it keeps the concrete agitated and fresh, so that it doesn't set. Think of this as just the drum part of the concrete wagon above with no drivers cab.
Where is this going to be placed? Position of piles, concrete pump and access for concrete wagons to be considered
7. Mobile Elevated Work Platforms (MEWPs): May be required to provide safe access to the piling rig during operations, especially in situations where working at height is required.
Is there enough space for a MEWP to get to the piling rig if required?
Can the MEWP get there safely?
MEWP
8. Surveying Equipment: Surveying instruments and tools are necessary for accurate setting out and positioning of piles to the construction plans.
Is the ground suitable for someone to operate surveying equipment from? Will likely have to be relocated many times in sight of all pile locations
Example of total station used to set out piles
9. Testing Equipment: Depending on what testing is required in project specification, there may be a requirement for large sections of structural steel beams, a testing rig and counterweight. More details on testing in our Piling Build Sequence post to follow.
Can the testing equipment and operatives reach the test pile locations safely?
Pile load testing rig set up
Definitions
Mobile crane - a self sufficient crane which can be driven to site
Concrete Line - a tube which delivers concrete
Setting out - process of establishing position and level of an element of a project physically on site, references usually taken from drawings
Posts to Follow
We plan to go into more details about piling and add sections on:
· Temporary Works
· Build Sequence
· Health, Safety & Environment
· Quality
· Programme
· Commercial
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