Piling is an ancient technique for supporting deep foundations by installing vertical supports within the foundational material, crafted from concrete, steel or timber, to reinforce the foundations and provide load-bearing capacity for the structure above. Piling has been around for thousands of years and continues to be commonplace today! Many different machines are used in modern-day piling, whether for replacement piles inserted into bore holes in the ground or for displacement piles driven directly into the earth. Here we’ll break down the different machines you might see in a piling project!
Piling Machines for Replacement Piles
Rotary Auger – Pile Drilling Machine
A rotary auger is, quite simply, a giant drill. The machine comes equipped with a long, telescopic arm known as a Kelly bar. The Kelly bar is fitted with either a classic helical screw bit or a digging bucket bit in order to drill into different layers of earth. The auger is inserted into the earth at the desired site and drilled down to the desired depth, after which it is removed without reverse rotation in order to extract as much earth as possible with it, leaving the bore hole open and ready for the pile to be installed. The extracted earth can then be efficiently removed by spinning the drill above ground, but we wouldn’t suggest being nearby!
Continuous Flight Auger – Pile Drilling Machine with Concrete Pump
A continuous flight auger works in a similar way to a rotary auger but compresses the task into a singular process. This can only be used for cast in-situ concrete piles, which are created by pouring liquid concrete into pre-bored holes to set. A continuous flight auger blends together a classic rotary auger with a concrete pump to complete this process in a single action. The auger is first drilled into the ground as a rotary auger would be, creating the bore hole. But upon extraction, concrete is pumped into the hole down the length of the Kelly bar, simultaneously filling the hole with concrete whilst the drill bit and earth are being extracted. A reinforcement cage is then added while the concrete is still liquid, and when it sets, the pile is complete!
If you’re looking for some professional piling in Manchester, then Rhino Piling is the perfect piling company for you!
