Here at Rhino Piling, our team utilises a lot of heavy, specialist machinery in order to put together high-quality foundations that will withstand the test of time whilst also adhering to building rules and regulations. A pile driver is a machine that essentially forces the pile into the ground, bypassing the weak soil on the surface, so that it can reach the stronger soil deep within the earth. Read on as we go over the different types…
Diesel Impact Hammer
Using a two-cycle diesel engine, a diesel impact hammer is a lot lighter than one may expect. After all, it doesn’t necessarily rely on sheer weight to force the pile into the ground because it is powered when compressed diesel fuel and air is ignated. This type of pile drive hammer is often used where steel piles have been utilised because they are reliable and efficient.
Vibratory Impact Hammer
Despite the name, a vibratory impact drive hammer doesn’t actually drive a pile into the ground. Instead, it makes use of a spinning technique created as a result of rotating weights that cut into the soil. These weights are typically powered by hydraulic motors and the hammers are designed in order to ensure that the vertical vibrations cancel out the horizontal vibrations.
Air/Steam Impact Hammer
There are two types of air/steam impact hammers on the market: single-acting or double-acting. The former allows air/steam to rise to the moveable portion of the drive hammer and free-fall, delivering 50-60 blows per minute whereas the latter uses the air/steam to raise the ram of the pile hammer whilst also adding additional energy during the downwards motion that follows. This allows for a higher number of blows, typically around 90-150 per minute.
Hydraulic Impact Hammer
Often seen as a modernised spin on a diesel drive hammer, the hydraulic impact hammer swaps out diesel fuel for hydraulic fluid or power packs. They are incredibly efficient and are often able to reach up to 80 blows per minute. In addition to this, a hydraulic hammer can be utilised with almost every type of material including steel (pipes, sheets and beams), timber and precast concrete.
The type of pile driver that is utilised with a project will depend on a variety of different factors such as the material of the pile, where it is being installed and how deep it needs to be driven into the ground. In addition to this, an on-site evaluation should also be carried out by a professional piling company in order to determine the suitability of each approach. To find out more information, get in contact with the best piling Manchester has to offer today.
