Split Timber Pile Repair Options 1

[jgeng]

I am looking for repair options for split timber piles. Although wood is new and generally good condition, some of these piles are severly split with material missing. Most of the splitting occurs above the water line but some is below. The repair must strengthen the pile's axial capacity and also bending. The piles are lateral resting cantilevered elements so returning the flexural strength is crucial. Debating between removing split material and splicing vs. trying to strengthen whats there. If spliced, will need to develop full bending capacity of pile through splice. If repair what's there will need to replace missing material and strengthen considerably. Thinking for splice repair to notch existing pile through bolt and epoxy. For inplace repair thinking of filling missing material voids with epoxy? and maybe using some type of fiber wrap?

Any thoughts or suggestions? What methods, techniques, and systems are out there for repair of timber piles?

 

[kieran1]

replacement? would save a lot of headache

Kieran

 

[msquared48]

I would be more concerned with the compromise of the treatment of the pile and exposure to the elements internally with the cracking and missing material. The damaged pile WILL degenerate more quickly with the exposure of the internal portion of the pile to oxygen laden water, particularly at the water or tide line. If this is in a salt water environment, marine borers will have easy access to the internal portion of the pile.

What caused them to split in the first place? Were they damaged by the piledriving, or where the piles of inferior grade lumber?

To me, nothing short of relpacement with undamaged pile would be acceptible with what you have described to date.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

 

[jgeng]

Its freshwater. Don't know the cause of the split, possibly damaged by driving. When you say replacement do you mean the whole pile? This would be very costly for constructibility reasons. Or did you mean splice in with solid material? That is where I was leaning. I was thinking a notched splice say 5 ft long, thru-bolted with epoxy. Regarding the exposore to elements, the splace may be straddling the water line. What about wrapping the splice with a fiber epoxy wrap to seal it, with the added benefit of strenghthening the splice?

Thanks

 

[msquared48]

Is the pier in place and finished, or are just the piling in place?

Is this a floating dock system, or structure that is attached to the pile?



Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

 

[jgeng]

Everything is in place and it is a building structure on the pilings. The pilings extend through to second floor of structure

 

[bridgebuster]

I don't see how you can increase the axial & flexural capacity of the pile by repairing/replacing the top. Splicing a new piece can be difficult; it depends on how much room you have. I can post some typical details on Monday. A sketch or photo of your situation would help.

 

[jgeng]

I meant make a splice/repair that has equal or greater flexural and axial capacity as the a pile in good condition.

 

[msquared48]

The lateral may have to be taken with new batter pile that can be driven from outside the limits of the current structure.

As for re-establishing the integrity of the pile in bearing only. perhaps a bolted steel jecket with a structural mat overlay to encase the splice.

But BB probably has a better idea...

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

 

[racookpe1978]

To pull together the current piles, compress the piles with spaced metal bands around the wood (the timber is round ? - bands would be more difficult if square timbers were present) at intervals. Use stainless steel wraps and plan on leaving them in place.

What about soaking fiberglass wraps in epoxy and wrapping those soaked bands around the piles to seal the surface and reduce the effect of future splitting? With the steel bands around each pile, continue the epoxy wraps over each steel banding.

 

[bridgebuster]

jgeng -

See if this helps. If not, I have some other details that I'll try to post later in the day. I'm in a hurry right now; got to get to a conference.

 

[vforte]

We are piling restoration specialist and also a marine contractors. We have two products that might be exactly what you are looking for. You can view our products on our website at

http://www.formapile.com.

We have patents and engineering reports on support on all of our products. We have restored thousands of dock pilings with our products as well as bridges and house pilings. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Vincent
Formapile Industries
vince@formapile.com