Vibro piles
Vibro piles are cast in place concrete displacement piles, installed by driving a steel casing down with hydraulic impact hammer. In granular soils, the shaft bearing capacity of the pile is improved by the densification of the surrounding soil. The relatively high shaft friction that is achieved with this type of piles results in high compressive and tensile bearing capacities. Soil displacement means that the soil surrounding the pile is not removed but is displaced sideways and thereby densified. Vibro piles are equally suitable for building projects that require either long or heavy piles as well as for lighter foundations. The vibro pile is ideal for areas in which there is a large variation in soil density and driving depths.
Features
Installation Method
Gulf Foundation uses mainly hydraulic impact hammers (IHC Hydrohammer) for installing vibro piles. The vibro pile is a cast in-situ displacement driven concrete pile, produced using a steel casing. The steel casing with detachable base plate is set up at ground level. The casing is placed on the base plate and driven to the design depth. At the correct level, the hammer is lifted, leaving the casing standing free in ground. Then the inside of the casing is inspected to ensure it is dry and free from soil. The reinforcement cage is installed in the casing and then the casing will be filled with concrete using a concrete bucket. The casing is removed by pulling or hammering upwards.
Bored Piles
Gulf Foundation offers several bored piling systems. The most suitable type is determined for each individual situation, where the relevant factors include:
The two main type of bored pile systems are:
Prefabricated Concrete Piles
Prefabricated and prestressed concrete piles are one of the oldest foundation techniques. This type of pile is used for both small and large foundation projects. Gulf Foundation has built up profound experience in the design and installation of prefabricated concrete piles.
Being prefabricated at a fixed length and with a fixed reinforcement configuration, prior knowledge of the bearing capacity of the soil is required. Verification of depth against the driving resistance is possible by monitoring the driving progress.
The rectangular precast prestressed concrete pile is a soil displacement system that can be used almost anywhere where driving is possible and where vibrations and noise are unlikely to cause nuisance. Whenever possible, Gulf Foundation uses the latest environmentally friendly hydraulic hammers. We resort to diesel hammers (type Delmag) only for extremely heavy pile driving work or very large pile dimensions.
Features
Vibro-Combi Piles
This system combines the benefits of prefabricated concrete piles and vibro piles. The large tensile force that a precast concrete pile can withstand in the shaft is combined with the rougher wall and larger cross-section of a vibro pile, thus enhancing the tensile performance through soil friction.
The system is used for tunnels and basements, often together with an underwater concrete floor. This type of piles is often corrugated at the top to key in well with the floor that is to be poured.
The system is used for tunnels and basements, often together with an underwater concrete floor. This type of piles is often corrugated at the top to key in well with the floor that is to be poured.
Features
Installation Method:
Gulf Foundation uses only hydraulic impact hammers for installing Vibro-Combi Piles. A noise-reducing shroud may be fitted. This practice ensures compliance with environmental requirements and prevents noise nuisance.
The Vibro-combi pile is a cast-in-situ displacement driven pile, produced using a steel casing. The steel casing with detachable base plate is set up at ground level. The casing is driven to depth. On reaching the correct level the inside of the tube is inspected to ensure it is dry and unsoiled. A precast pre-stressed concrete pile is suspended in the casing, which is then filled with grout (optionally only over the part in the bearing stratum) and sometimes with bentonite. Once the space between the casing and pile is filled, the steel casing is withdrawn by driving upwards or hammering out.
Steel tubular piles
Steel Tubular Piles are mainly used in marine projects and in locations with a limited working area or limited working height. The suitable tube diameter and wall thickness can be determined depending on the particular application, the required load bearing and bending moment capacity. For additional end bearing capacity, the tube can be outfitted with a base plate.
Features
Installation Method
The installation of tubular piles is normally done initially by vibratory hammer and after reaching a higher driving resistance or reaching a certain pile depth, piling is resumed by impact hammer.
Vibro replacement
Vibro-replacement is a ground improvement technique in which dense aggregate columns are realised, known as stone columns. Stone columns are generally used to improve the properties of a soil mass and increase the bearing capacity or reduce settlements.
Bored Grout Anchors
Bored grout anchors are slender foundation elements that can be installed inclined or vertical. They can transfer both compressive and tensile forces to the ground, which makes them ideal as vertical anchors for basements and tunnels or for anchoring of earth retaining structures. Anchor piles can be adapted to the variable loading situations that occur in the construction and utilization phases of constructions of this kind.
Features
An anchor pile consists of a high-grade steel hollow stem. A circular cement grout body is formed at high pressure to the outer part of the pile during the installation by pumping grout through the hollow stem. This grout shaft will transfer the tensile or compressive force to the surrounding soil.
Installation Method
Anchor piles are installed using percussive drilling rig. During the installation grout is pumped through the anchor stem and drill bit to form the grout body around the anchor. When the grout body has set sufficiently, the pile head can be attached by means of an anchor plate and nut, after which the anchor can be loaded.
MV Piles
MV Piles are steel anchors suitable for large tensile forces. They are usually made of steel H-beams or tubular pipes and driven by impact hammers with a continuous grout flow, which eases the driving process and ensures adhesion of piles in the soil. The piles can then withstand substantial tensile stresses. They are used for quay wall anchorage and as vertical tie bars.
Gulf Foundation has introduced and installed the first MV pile in the Middle East and is one of the few piling contractors in the market with the know-how, experience and equipment required to manufacture and install MV piles with lengths up to 50m.
Installation Method:
The MV pile version used by Gulf Foundation typically consists of a tubular steel element or H-section beam that is driven to depth. Grout is injected through the pile or a nozzle at a point just above the pile base while the pile is being driven. As the base penetrates deeper, the void that appears above the point as the soil is displaced fills immediately with the pressurized grout. The pressure is increased sharply on reaching the bearing stratum, to effectively anchor the pile in the surrounding soil.
Shoring Works
Gulf Foundation is specialized in supplying and installing steel sheet piles for shoring works. We have several rigs suitable for installing sheet piles from land for soil retaining at deep excavation works for different underground works such as pipelines, culverts and building foundations. We provide both anchored and free-standing shoring walls, depending on the design and excavation depth.
Options:
Installation Method
We install sheet piles from land or from water, depending on the project requirements. The installation method for sheet piles or combi wall piles will depend on the local conditions. Commonly used methods include:
- Vibrating with a conventional or high frequency variable torque vibratory hammer
- Low vibration technique with auger drilling and bentonite flushing
- Hammering with a hydraulic or diesel hammer
Concrete structures
Gulf Foundation has a division for the construction and installation of reinforced in-situ or precast concrete elements.
Construction using precast concrete brings efficiency and time savings as well as bringing benefits in terms of consistency of quality in the final product.
We also specialise in the design and construction of cast in-situ reinforced concrete works including underwater concreting, where it involves fabrication and placement of reinforcement cages, form works and finally in-situ concrete casting and finishing. These works include crown walls, retaining walls, drainage channels, underground pits, capping beams, outfalls, building foundations and floors.
