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The big advantage of augercast piles is the speed of installation. The capacity of the concrete pump and the efficiency of spoils removal usually determine the rate of installation. Installation rates for the job I mentioned above varied from 10-15 min/pile, start-to-start if there were no...

I did one project where the augercast piles were typically over 80', with full-depth cages, 18"-24" diameter. The only problems with installing the cages occured when there were delays in stabbing the cage, meaning more than about 5 minutes, AND if there were sand layers at more than about 1/2...

I once worked as a "powder-monkey's helper," and after saying "Damn, that was entertaining!" I'll concur with the earlier responders about seeking expert help. Depending on your specific situation, have you considered expansive grout?

You are ignoring the fact that helical anchors do not have to be intalled at a declining angle.

From the minimal description of the project regarding penetration depths, other than the pile section, I am assuming that you are talking about shallow depth, ie in the range of 30'. What is the waterlevel? Any deeper, and BigHarvey is probably right. For shallow installation, that hammer will...

Your only problems are a client and a contractor playing CYA. The magnitude of any vibration from a boring operation even centimeters from the foundation of a seven-story building are infiniticimal. Do not waste money on this issue.

I must be missing something here. Why would you use the material for backfill at all? If you have to use it, use it at a mosture content and a percent compaction that precludes appreciable swell if the material is subjected to increased moisture. Typically, the spec for using such clays as an...

Somehow I wasn't clear on my main point re auger cast piles: any cage can be installed if appropriate procedures are followed. The biggest question will be the proper basis of comparisons between auger cast and driven piles, or CIDH, or geo-piers, or.... Capacity won't be the final determinant...

I think you will find that any contractor will be comfortable with placing whatever cage the design calls for. The heavier the cage, the easier it is to place to full depth. It's a light cage that's hard to insert. Talk to experienced contractors. They have nothing to gain by making false...

re: centralizers. They were used on about 1400 piles of various lengths and diameters that I observed, and they worked very well; even staying intact when cages had to be pulled because of excessive drag during insertion [as described earlier.] If the soil profile includes zones of soft...

I've been involved with using geotextiles with great success for about 30 years, and they do a great job, but optimizing their use is an art. Modern methods of lime-treatment have made that procedure nearly idiot-proof as a do-it-and-forget-it procedure in new construction, and enough...

I sure agree with the comments so far, especially if the battered piles are occasional, within interior groups, and the structural engineer can't justify the spec beyond the need to having to document a modification of pile-cap and gradebeam rebar details. With long, densely grouped piles, tips...

I also like the idea of geofoam blocks for minimizing settlement. I'm familiar with the I-15 project, and was involved with parts of it, and they had shallower depths to deal with, and started with an very elaborate wick drainage system to accelerate consolidation under loads during construction...

It's true that granular material could require extra care, and in some cases [dry, coarse-grained, etc.] might be impractical. The longer the probe, the less surface loss will affect the accuracy of the data. Safety must be your primary concern: wide or well-shored, strict OSHA compliance. This...

The main advantage of using a nuc in a trench is the fact that the gage works just fine on the SIDES of the trench, meaning that the surface is smooth, requiring little preparation before the guide-spike is driven, and any number of tests, at the exact soil conditions you need to evaluate, can...

Start with the basics: What type of drainage system can you use? It shouldn't be a problem to make your structure independent of groundwater fluctuations.

I think we need some more information before a best grouting program can be suggested, whether a single or combination procedure is used. Where is the water table? Is this an existing building, or is this a ground improvement stage prior to construction? Access has a lot to do with the economics...

In being brief as I rushed out to a soil-nailing project, I didn't expand on my comments, and expected even more comments than I got. I am familiar with the standard of practice of "calibrating" a concrete pump by filling a known volume and counting strokes, and have listened to a contractor's...

Just a couple of points about procedures during installation: I have found the utilization of a Pile Installation Recorder (PIR), manufactured by PDA, to be indispensable for the accurate logging of drilling and grouting procedures. I found the PIR to be absolutely accurate. There is no other...