What equipment is needed for pile installation?

The most efficient and reliable foundation can be achieved using screw or reinforced concrete piles. Compared to other foundation types, they are also considered the most cost-effective. Construction requires no major excavation work, no reinforced concrete blocks, and no large labor force. The only necessary equipment is specialized pile installation equipment and a small amount of concrete.

Screw Pile Installation Options

Screw piles are incredibly simple in design: a tubular metal shaft with a screw-shaped tip (blade). Specialized equipment drives the pile into the ground to the required depth. In simple terms, this rod is like a giant self-tapping screw. Pile installation equipment effectively drives the shaft into the soil until it reaches the point of failure.

Helical pier equipment for sale uses various operating principles, including impact, mixed, pressurized, vibratory, and screw-in. Several dozen rods can be installed in a single day for a small house, and a large pile field can be erected in just a few days. Installing a strip foundation, even for a small structure, would require about a week, followed by another month for the concrete mixture to dry. The most popular method in private construction today is the screw-in method.

A foundation based on screw piles does not require excavation, which saves not only on human resources but also on the use of large-scale equipment.

Reinforced concrete piles are installed using a mini pile driver. Screw piles are installed using a hydraulic pile driver or a mini excavator.

What is a mini pile driver?

A mini pile driver is a type of pile installation equipment. These units are capable of constructing large pile fields on unstable soils in a short time, making them widely used in construction.

Design Features

The equipment is based on a frame that moves on rails, wheels, or tracks. The reinforced concrete pile drivers are driven by a powered unit and other specialized components. They are maneuverable and can tilt even in confined spaces, making them suitable for use in any conditions.

The unit uses a through-auger technology. The pile driver is installed into pre-drilled holes. The working force is controlled by a special drive mechanism. In simple mini-pillars, the hammer is raised to a predetermined height and, with its own weight, drives the rod into the ground. Larger models can be powered by diesel engines, vibratory impactors, etc.

Pile driving equipment similar to a pile driver gained popularity during the boom in industrial and private construction.

What other pile driving equipment is used?

A mini-excavator first secures the rod, sets the desired angle, and then gradually screws it into the ground, aided by a tip (blade). Typically, installation occurs at a right angle. Pile driving equipment has several basic components:

•        The main equipment is mounted on a platform running on tracks or wheels. The unit can be moved either fully assembled or in separate modules for subsequent assembly on-site.

•        The unit is secured using four hydraulically powered jacks.

•        The working element (grip) is also hydraulically powered.

•        Drive mechanism. This element screws the rod into the soil and maintains the set angle.

•        Lever control panel.

This type of pile driving equipment can drive piles at an inclination of up to 45 degrees.