Some Benefits of Vibratory Pile Drivers February 11, 2011

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.
International Construction Equipment (ICE) is located in Matthews, NC and has been manufacturing premiere construction equipment for over 25 years.  Their product line includes a variety of top of the line pile driving equipment, and they are internationally recognized for their advanced and complete lines of deep foundation equipment.

Get more information on the Vibratory Pile Driver

 

---