Benefits of Vibratory Pile Drivers
May 14, 2010
The use of pile drivers by construction firms covers a wide variety of applications. The multiple product lines that are made up from these machines have become the backbone for the herculean projects that are increasingly populating our skylines. Interestingly, other machines in the vertical that are crucial to the development of new construction perform tasks that are mostly unnoticeable and unseen.
Typical pile driving machinery is noticeable, both visually and audibly; however, much advancement has been incorporated to improve their performance and quell their audacious sounds. The advent of the vibratory pile driver (and extractor) was a revolutionary step forward in the development of foundation construction. Unlike typical pile drivers that used force from a "hammer" type action to drive the piles into the earth, the vibratory pile driver/extractor uses eccentric weights as its force. The weights are powered by hydraulic motors and are designed to rotate thereby creating significant amounts of vibration. The machine is often held in place with a crane and attached to the piles to be driven. When the machine is in action the vibration extends through the pile and into the earth. The action of the intense vibrations results in the earth becoming almost "liquefied." This allows the pile to be inserted into the ground with the aid of gravity and downward pressure. In ideal conditions the machine can drive piles at an alarming rate; often two at a time. The movement of the weights also produce horizontal vibrations; however the machinery is designed in such a way that those vibrations cancel each other out.
In today's society the yearning for revitalized urban development results in construction projects occurring in densely populated areas within areas with heavily traveled infrastructure. The existing environment can often be full of businesses that are accustomed to a mostly peaceful existence and have a low tolerance to loud and enduring construction noise; an example of this is a downtown hospital. The repetitive hammering sound produced from a diesel hammer pile driver may be easily tolerated by workmen on a jobsite, but the sounds can be significantly disruptive for recovering patients and truly distracting for doctors performing delicate surgeries. The vibratory pile driver is ideal for these situations as the process of inserting the piles into the earth is greatly reduced through the ingenious use of eccentric weights.
The machine also has a second use that makes its presence so desirable on jobsites. Because not all piling is intended to be permanent, the extractor element of the vibratory pile driver/extractor is highly coveted. The machinery's highly intense vibrations can also be used to loosen the ground around the buried pile, making the removal of deeply embedded piles a reality. Project Managers can greatly reduce construction costs and reduce storage area requirements by reusing piles that have been "recovered." The vibratory pile driver/extractor makes solutions to difficult construction challenges a reality.
Danbury Route 7 Expansion
May 21, 2010
Due to the complexities of working over wetlands, JF White Construction will be utilizing a vibratory pile driving process during the reconstruction efforts of Route 7 in Danbury, CT. A vibratory pile driver/ extractor affords the ability to install the mechanisms necessary for the infrastructure while reducing the impact on the surrounding wetlands through its clever design.
On January 22nd, 2009 State Representative John Frey of Ridgefield, CT announced that the contracts for the widening project for the Phase Two Ridgefield – Danbury stretch had been signed. For motorists in the area the announcement was nearly cause for celebration as many local travelers had stated that the road was long overdue for an improvement project, considering its heavy use. The completed project should alleviate existing problems and provide a more efficient and safer roadway.
Connecticut Department of Transportation officials had performed considerable studies over the years in an effort to fully understand traffic flow challenges. Analyses led them to make suggestions on how to improve the driving experience while also taking into consideration the surrounding impact that the roadway improvements would have on the environment. The Department of Environmental Protection was heavily involved in the activities and the project has been planned to minimize the impacts of the construction efforts on the affected wetlands. The project will meet current highway design and safety standards, and also will focus on improved water quality.
The project will include installation of a number of incident management variable message signs; some of which will include traffic cameras. These additions lend to the state’s enterprise incident management system."
The project’s main objective is to widen Route 7 from a single lane in each direction to a four lane road in both northbound and southbound directions. The stretch of highway will include the area near the Ridgefield - Danbury town line to the entrance of Interstate 84. Due to the project’s design, additional infrastructure components will be required to satisfy the project goals. The northern section expansion will require the construction of a new bridge to carry the traffic over Wooster Heights Road. The newly built bridge will supply the corridor for the southbound traffic, while the existing bridge will supply the route for the northbound traffic.
JF White, a multi-disciplined contractor with deep experience in complex and large scale commercial foundations of all types, has been retained to construct the bridge efforts over the affected wetlands. White will be constructing an elevated roadway over 2900 square meters of wetlands that will be supported by concrete piles. White’s experience, abilities, diversity, and expertise made them a logical selection for the project effort. White will be utilizing vibratory pile driving equipment from International Construction Equipment in North Carolina.
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