Vibration Free Resonant Pile Driving in Dams and Levees

1. Vibration Free Resonant Pile Driving in Dams and Levees Dane Reelie, P.Eng., RTI Matthew Janes, P.Eng., RTI

2. Resonant Driving • High frequency vibration • 80-180 Hz = 4800 to 10800 VPM • Conventional ‘variable moment high frequency’ = 2000 VPM • High accelerations: • 100 to 200 g • Required amplitude • 4- 6 mm peak to peak • Requirement for Resonance !!! • No pile driving off resonance

3. Resonance

4. Resonance • How does resonance enhance efficiency? • Like a Child on a swing • Store energy in the pile like a pendulum, • child being pushed on a swing • Build up displacement & accelerations at tip Benefit: No disturbance of the surrounding soil Imperceptible ground vibration High production Drives through clays and hard soils 100% energy recovery

5. Cross Links, Melbourne, AU RD 260 Drives: • GU 18 Sheet Piles • Hard Clay soils: • Qc >100 MPa • SPT blows of 60 to 120 per 300 mm • Required pre-drilling • Test program Bauer RGT 19 failed • Exceeded noise and vibrations limits • Test Program using RD 260 Success • Giken: low productions • RD 260 low ground vibration • Conventional vibro production

6. Cross Links, Melbourne, AU

7. Cross Links, Melbourne, AU

8. Cross Links, Hard Clay soils: Qc >100 MPa SPT 60 to 120bl/300mm Required pre-drilling Spacing varied w/ clay hardness Generally pre drilled full depth

9. Cross Links, Melbourne, AU Video

10. Cross Links, Noise Monitoring

11. Cross Links, Vibration Monitoring

12. Axial Resonance AZ

13. SW of Rotterdam, NL • Resonance Driving: • Dyke reinforcement • Vibration sensitive • Zero ground disturbance • Light base equipment • Placement control • Remove / pull • Re-plumb • Re-align • Move

14. Dyke , NL • This Dyke is failing • Sit base machine off dyke • Reach up to drive sheet reinforcement • Note proximity of heritage masonry structures • Lighter equipment • Placement control

15. Dyke Reinforcement, NL Video

16. Double AZ pile clamp

17. Stompwijk • 6 km Dyke repair • Soldier pipe and concrete lagging • Driving adjacent to concrete dyke wall • Note small excavation for pipe • No sand or paving bricks falling into excavation during driving

18. Stompwijk, NL

19. Stompwijk • Proximity to existing Dyke facing wall. • Soldiers to be tied into this wall

20. Stompwijk

21. Driebergen, NL • Resonance Driving w/ Rotation • RD 260 • 37 m long 177 mm dia pipe • Single length of pipe! • Mandrel driven with loss bit • Drive time about 12-15 minutes • 2000+ kN anchors: • Conventional drilling 3 hrs

22. Site: CN Rail Trestle • Trestle Replacement • Vibration sensitive site • Previous Segment • Significant differential settlements w/ pile driving • Significant costs & delays • Resonant Test program: • RTI <2 mm/sec • specified for project

23. Site: CN Rail Trestle • Trestle Replacement • 96 HP 360x132 (HP14x89) • 4 pile groups 600mm c/c • 37.5 m lengths (123 ft)

24. CN Rail Trestle CPT

25. CN Rail Trestle • Resonance Driving • PDA proved 2300 – 3000 kN • (260 – 340 tons) • Working load 900 kN • 5 minutes driving time per point • 12 minutes driving time per splice • Conventional hammers: • ICE 30 – 50 - 60 minutes • 3800 kg drop 60 - 80 minutes • 5 bl/50 mm set

26. Video Video

27. Dane Reelie, P.Eng., dr@rtii.ca Matthew Janes, P.Eng., mj@rtii.ca Resonance Technology Intl. www.resonancetechnology.ca Revolutionary Foundation Equipment