installation requires only

been driven from 100 ft. to 130 ft.depths in the immediate area. Thetest program also benefited boththe construction schedule andcosts by providing very accurateMonotube® pile bid length esti-mates throughout the extensive

construction area involved.Over 2,700 Monotube® piles were driven in

three separate multi-million dollar highway con-tracts which included 12 bridges and several tun-nels. Distribution of the load throughout the bearingstrata by the wedging action of the Monotube® uni-form taper resulted in more consistent tip elevationsand higher capacities. What’s best, MNDOT realizedenormous savings by using Monotube® piles, apre-design test program and their bidding tech-nique.

Just as this project has generated valuabledata, so have over 7 decades of installation histo-

The 4,200,000-sq. ft. Mall ofAmerica is a colossus attracting millions to theBloomington, Minnesota area.

Access to this retail-entertainmentmegaplex challenged the Minnesota DOTto develop a fast track solution to modifyand add interchanges to three major arteries adjacentto the site, and all the while maintain traffic flow. Atest pile program was conducted to determine themost economically feasible foundation in an areanoted for its challenging soil conditions. MinnesotaDOT utilized the pre-bid test data to bid the piling ona per-pile basis and eliminated the common practiceof bidding per foot which requires contingencies tobe built into the contractor’s price.

The uniformly-tapered Monotube® pile provided150-ton ultimate capacity in the 42- to 47-foot rangecompared to straight-sided pipe which had previously

Traffic maintained throughall

Installation requires onlyconventional equipment.

FREE24-pg.

Test Data Book and CatalogP.O. Box 7339 • Canton, OH 44705-0339

Ph. 330.454.6111 • Fax 330.454.1572 Email: [email protected] • www.monotube.comMONOTUBE IS AFFILIATED WITH DAVIDSON PIPE SUPPLY CO.,

PDCA PileDrivers.Org - Summer 2002

As a pile driving professional, I joined the PDCA tohelp ensure the vitality of driven piles for future genera-tions. My first move as a new member was to join theEducation Committee, because I felt this is where I andour organization can make the biggest impact on the deepfoundation industry. Now as president of the PDCA, I feeljust as strongly that education is the key to the future ofpile driving.

This July marked a milestone in education for thePDCA. Our organization sponsored 25 professors who

spent five days inLogan, Utah, learningthe intricacies of piledriving, at the 2002College Professors’Driven Pile Institute.This intensive, one-

week seminar was designed and led by engineers, businesspeople and professors who are well known in the deepfoundation industry. The goal of the institute is for atten-dees to take their newly acquired knowledge of driven pilesback to their faculty members and make it part of the cur-riculum for engineering students.

The driven pile institute is a three-year program thatwill educate a total of 75 college professors. That is a lotof people learning and then teaching the benefits of driv-en piles. This is a giant step in the right direction for ourorganization and our industry. It is also a monumentaltask, and one which requires many resources.

In garnering funds for this event, the organization hasthree options: (1) request contributions from the mem-bers; (2) raise dues; or (3) increase membership to addmoney to our budget. For this year, we have decided topursue contributions from the membership to pay for theeducation of the professors chosen to attend the Institute.

By the time this newsletter is printed, the Professors’Institute will be completed, but we still need your contri-butions. Even if no professors from your region attendedthe Institute, a small donation to this event is still adonation to the education of the industry as a whole.

This event is a critical move in our strategic plan to fightfor recognition in the deep foundation marketplace. Ourcompetition has successfully been using these types of tacticsfor some time, and we all know the impact it has had onour businesses. So please take a minute to consider the vastand long-lasting effects of an education program such as thisone and think about a donation to the Institute.

For those who have contributed to the Institute, Iwould like to thank you.Your donations are truly makinga difference and solidifying the future of our industry.

Please call (970) 945-1231 to order reprints of articles or to obtain a copy of PileDrivers.Org’s editorial index.Visit the Pile Driving Contractors Association on the Worldwide Web at www.piledrivers.org. For further infor-mation on Pile Driving Contractors Association topics, please contact us at (970) 945-1231.

PileDrivers.Org is published quarterly. Please contact us by mail at P.O. Box 1429, Glenwood Springs, Colo. 81602;by fax at (970) 384-0512; by telephone at (970) 945-1231; or by e-mail at [email protected].

Statements of fact and opinion are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply an opinion on thepart of the officers or members of the Pile Driving Contractors Association. Copyright 2002 by the PileDriving Contractors Association. All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced or translated withoutwritten permission. Direct requests for reprint permission should be made to the executive director of the PileDriving Contractors Association.

The subscription rate for members is $18, which is included in the Association’s annual dues. The U.S. sub-scription rate for non-members is $36 for one year and $72 for two years. Canadian subscribers: add $5 peryear; all other non-U.S. subscribers add $10 per year.

Education Is TheKey To Our Future

Table Of ContentsPDCA-Sponsored Conference Will Address Advances In Pile DrivingNew Orleans is the location for “The Design andInstallation of Cost-Efficient Driven Piles,” a conferencesponsored by the Pile Driving Contractors Associationand scheduled for Sept. 19 and Sept. 20. . . . . . .Page 9

H.B. Fleming Carves A Niche In Northern New England MarketH.B. Fleming has been in a five-year boom undercurrent owners John Linscott, PE, and Dean Sciaraffa, PE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 14

A Sinking FeelingCentral Florida is no stranger to sinkholes, but evenlong-time Floridians were amazed by the size anddepth of a sinkhole that formed in an Orlandoapartment complex in June. . . . . . . . . . . .Page 17

The Sounds Of SilenceDanish foundation contractor Per Aarsleff hasdeveloped a pile hammer silencer to comply withstrict environmental noise restrictions. . . .Page 21

Pile Driving And VibrationPile driving was the topic of discussion at a seminarat the recent CONEXPO-CON/AGG show in LasVegas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 22

DepartmentsFrom The President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3Advertisers.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 5Pile Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6PDCA Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8Articles Wanted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 19PDCA’s New Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 20PDCA Membership Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 25

Page 9

Page 17

Page 14

PileDrivers.Org - Summer 2002 PDCA

American Piledriving Equipment7032 S. 196th St. • Kent, Wash. 98032

Phone: (800) 248-8498 • (253) 872-0141 • Fax: (253) 872-8710Web site: www.apevibro.com

Page 7

Junttan OyP.O. Box 1702 • FIN-70701 Kuipio, Finland

Phone: +358 (0)17 287 4400 • Fax: +358 (0)17 287 4411E-mail: [email protected] • Web site: www.junttan.com

Page 27

LBT Enterprises Ltd.245 Melnick Rd. • Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3X 1V5

Phone: (204) 254-6424 • (800) 665-7396 • Fax: (204) 254-2980E-mail: [email protected] • Web site: www.pilecutter.com

Page 13

Mississippi Valley Equipment Company1198 Pershall Rd. • St. Louis, Mo. 83137

Phone: (800) 325-8001 • Fax: (314) 869-6862Web site: www.mktpileman.com

Page 16

Monotube Pile CorporationP.O. Box 7339 • Canton, Ohio 44705-0339

Phone: (330) 454-6111 • Fax: (330) 454-1572E-mail: [email protected]

Page 2

Municon Consultants1300 22nd St., Suite A • San Francisco, Calif. 94107


Page 18

PilecoP.O. Box 16099 • Houston, Texas 77222

Phone: (800) 474-5326 • (713) 691-3000 • Fax: (713) 691-0089Web site: www.pileco.com

Page 4

Pittsburgh Coatings Corporation103 Port Ambridge Drive • Ambridge, Pa. 15003Phone: (412) 366-5159 • Fax: (412) 366-6019

Page 28

PK Pipe & Tubing, Inc.P.O. Box 2470 • Uvalde, Texas 78802-2470

Phone: (830) 278-6606 • Fax: (830) 278-4305Page 20

Specialty Piling Systems, Inc.P.O. Box 1607 • Slidell, La. 70459


Page 10

ADVERTISERS.ORG

Jim Frazier • PresidentLawrence Construction Company

Phone: (303) 791-5642E-mail: [email protected]

Home page: www.wedrivepile.com

Randy Dietel • Vice PresidentPiling, Inc.


Wayne Waters • TreasurerEd Waters & Sons


Charles Ellis • Past PresidentPhone: (402) 228-1624

Trey Ford • DirectorFord Pile Foundations, Inc.Phone: (757) 497-3593

E-mail: [email protected]

Rory Kelly • DirectorSkyline Steel


Reginald K.L. Lee • DirectorHawaiian Dredging Construction Co.


Home page:www.hawaiiandredging.com

Garland E. Likins • DirectorPile Dynamics


Fred Stromness • DirectorBuild, Inc.


Mark Weisz • DirectorCS Marine ConstructorsPhone: (707) 562-4100


John L.White • DirectorAmerican Piledriving Equipment


Home page: www.apevibro.com

Stephen K.Whitty Jr. • DirectorSpecialty Piling Systems, Inc.


Max J.Williams • DirectorGulf Coast Pre-Stress, Inc.

Phone: (228) 452-9486E-mail: [email protected] page: www.gcprestress.com

Stan Orr, CAE • Executive DirectorPDCA


Home page: www.piledrivers.org

2002 PDCA Board of Directors

Piledrivers.orgPublisher - Stan Orr, CAE - Glenwood Springs, Colo.

Editor - Jennifer Hart - Hanover, Pa.

Layout/Design/Production - Brian Sherman - Mt. Pleasant, S.C.


Cover photo: H.B. Fleming installs a cofferdam for an abutment for a smallbridge in Lincolnville, Maine.

The Latest In Crawler CranesA range of new crawler cranes was

introduced by several manufacturersrecently.

One of the most innovative new prod-ucts was unveiled by Link-Belt at CON-EXPO in March. The manufacturerintroduced its LS-308H II series at theLas Vegas event, a 110-ton lattice boomcrawler crane that was designed to handlea variety of applications. The LS-308H IIis equipped to perform lift applications,pile driving, clamshell, dragline, dutycycle and demolition job requirements.

The machine’s 332-horsepowerMitsubishi engine produces good linespeeds under any heavy load condition.The total horsepower control allows themachine’s hydraulics to work at maxi-mum speed and pressures during heavyload applications.

An important feature of the machineis its HYLAB (Hydraulic Lattice Boom)controls that offer pinpoint, reliable per-formance in duty cycle work. Link-Belt’sstate-of-the-art, pilot operated, variabledisplacement hydraulic power systemdelivers independent control of load hoistdrums that are directly proportional tohoist lever movement.

Liebherr unveiled its new LR 1350/1crawler crane and the HS 855 HD atCONEXPO. A 350-metric-ton crane, theLR 1350/1 is powered by a 367-horse-power consumption-optimized Liebherrturbocharged diesel engine with an elec-tronic engine management system. Itsstate-of-the-art technical features includefive hoisting winches and up to five slew-

ing gear drives manufactured by Liebherr.Terex has expanded its line of

hydraulic lattice boom crawler craneswith the addition of two new models. Atthe top of the line is the HC 275, with amaximum lift capacity of 275 tons, amaximum main boom length of 300 feetand maximum lift crane boom and jiblength of 390 feet.

The second new model to make itsdebut is the HC 150, with a 150-toncapacity, 250 feet of main boom lengthand maximum boom and jib length of330 feet.

Excerpted from Lifting and TransportationInternational, May/June 2002

Reinventing The WallWhatever their purpose – be it to

shelter, contain or support – walls areusually constructed with solid materials.Now a group of researchers is challengingthis assumption as its members exploreways to create a chamber that would havewalls made of liquid metal.

The project, the Advanced PowerExtraction Study (APEX), is being under-taken by a group of 12 national laborato-ries and universities. The catalyst for theresearch is the anticipated development offusion as an energy source. Becausefusion would require plasma gases to beheated to a temperature of 100 milliondegrees centigrade – 10 times the temper-ature of the sun – containment chamberswould have to be able to sustain suchintense temperatures. A solid wall couldeasily be damaged by the extreme heat.

In contrast, a wall composed of liquidmetal would be in constant motion,which would diffuse the heat. What ismore, a wall of liquid metal could recoveralmost instantly from any damage itmight sustain.

According to Mohamed Abdou, aprofessor of engineering at the Universityof California at Los Angelses and theproject leader, APEX researchers arefocusing on two approaches: one involv-ing centrifugal force and the other involv-ing electromagnetic force.

Excerpted from Civil Engineering, June 2002

Safety SurveyMost people who responded to a Lift

Equipment survey this past April had pos-itive comments about safety measureswithin their companies. For example, 56percent highly rate the importance of asafety manager whose sole responsibilityis to maintain safety, training and compli-ance. In addition, 41 percent indicatedtheir safety program is better than mostwhen compared with their competitors.This number correlates with a questionregarding safety meetings: Forty percentof participants said they hold comprehen-sive safety meetings every week. Whichsafety challenges did respondents rate themost? Lack of follow-through by employ-ees rated highest at 39 percent, while reg-ulation compliance came in second at 29percent.

Even though safety awareness seems tobe high within companies, their budgetsmay reflect a complacent attitude. TheMarch 2002 issue of the ConstructionIndustry Confidence Indicators, publishedmonthly by Mercor Media, Inc. ofChicago, reports that more than one-third of participating companies believetraining expenditures have a directimpact on job-related accidents. In addi-tion, 81 percent said they believe equip-ment operator training is very important.Nevertheless, 60 percent said they havenot changed training budgets in the last12 months, and 19 percent actuallydecreased funds. Only the remaining 21percent increased their budgets.

Excerpted from Lift Equipment,June/July 2002

Safety Standard Revisions StartA rulemaking committee to revise

worker safety standards on cranes isunder approval by the U.S. Departmentof Labor. For three years, an OSHA advi-sory group made up of 38 crane manu-facturers, rental companies and unionrepresentatives has discussed revisions tothe 1950s standard. OSHA officials saideconomic impacts will create obstacleswhile the group works on revisions.

Excerpted from Lift Equipment,June/July 2002



Online

Home Page

Visit our Web site tofind a contractor orsupplier member.Register for the nextPDCA meeting. SeePileDrivers.Org online.This and more on your Association’s home page.

Headquarters Contacts

General information: [email protected] director: [email protected]: [email protected]: [email protected]: [email protected]

Manuals and Texts

RecommendedSpecifications For Driven Bearing Piles

PDCA’s Code Book, nowin its third edition, is amust-have guide. Availableonly through PDCA.

Design and Constructionof Driven FoundationsManual

This two-volume set is produced by the FWHAand is available through PDCA. For more infor-mation, contact PDCA at (970) 945-1231 oronline at [email protected].

Publications

piledrivers.org

Author guidelines -Want to write an articlefor PileDrivers.Org? Fora copy of our guide-lines, call PDCA at(970) 945-1231 or con-tact PDCA online at [email protected].

Editorial Calendar

For a copy of the PileDrivers.Org editorial calen-dar, call PDCA at (970) 945-1231 or contactPDCA online at [email protected].

Media Kit

For a copy of the PileDrivers.Org media kit, callPDCA at (970) 945-1231 or contact PDCAonline at [email protected].

Referrals

PDCA provides adirect link betweencontractors and endusers and contractorsand suppliers. Formore information onthis valuable service,contact PDCA [email protected].

PDCA ResourcesPDCA Resources


New Orleans is the location for “The Design andInstallation of Cost-Efficient Driven Piles,” a conferencesponsored by the Pile Driving Contractors Association andscheduled for Sept. 19 and Sept. 20.

The pile driving industry is advancing. Pile materialsand capacities are changing and pile behavior is constantlybeing analyzed and tested. This one-and-a-half day seminaris designed to highlight the dramatic developments in piledriving equipment and methods in recent years. ThePDCA has assembled a stellar lineup of presenters toaddress and explain the most important advances in theindustry.

This seminar is an educational opportunity for geotech-nical engineers, design engineers, college professors andcontractors who are interested in taking advantage ofopportunities to reduce the cost of deep foundations usingdriven piles.

Following an introduction by PDCA President JimFrazier, attendees will spend Thursday morning learningabout code-required bridge strengths to resist vessel impactloads, foundation analysis (Continued On Page 11)

Patrick Bermingham has developedtechnology for the foundations con-struction industry for more than 18years. As president and head of researchof Bermingham Construction andBerminghammer FoundationEquipment, he has developed a widevariety of equipment and systems,including an underwater hammer fordeep-water applications. He has collabo-rated with Sheffield University in theUnited Kingdom and other universities.

Henry T. Bollmann, PE, is a seniorstructures design engineer for theFlorida Department of Transportation.He conceived of and helped develop 3Dnon-linear soil-structure interactioncomputer software – FLPIER.

Dan Brown, PhD, is Gottlieb Professorof Civil Engineering at Auburn

University. The author of numerouspapers on deep foundations, he is a pastrecipient of the ASCE Huber Prize forhis research on pile foundations. A pastchairman of the ASCE DeepFoundations Committee, he served aschair of the ASCE International DeepFoundations Congress, held in Orlando,Fla., in February.

Rick Elman is senior associate at MueserRutledge Consulting Engineers. He hasspecialized in the design of marine struc-tures and shallow and deep foundationsand has extensive experience in thedesign of foundations for transportationstructures, slurry walls, underpinning,earth and rock tiebacks, sheeting andbracing, as well as grouting and epoxysealing for retaining structures.

Jim Frazier is manager of the pile driv-

ing division of Lawrence Constructionin Littleton, Colo. He has more than 20years of experience in pile driving andbridge construction, including biddingand estimating. He currently serves aspresident of PDCA.

Van Komurka is a geotechnical engi-neer in Milwaukee. In 1994, he co-founded Wagner Komurka GeotechnicalGroup, a firm specializing in geotechni-cal engineering, with particular expertisein the testing and design of cost-effec-tive deep foundations.

Garland Likins, PE, has been involvedwith deep foundations since 1971, start-ing with his graduate studies in civilengineering, which centered on pilingresearch at Case Western ReserveUniversity, under the direction of Dr.George Goble. (Continued On Page 11)

PDCA-Sponsored Conference Will Address Advances In Pile Driving

The Speakers: The Design And Installation Of Cost-Efficient Driven Piles

SPECIALTY PILING SYSTEMS, INC.P.O. Box 1607 • Slidell, LA 70459-1607 U.S.A.

Toll-Free: 1+ (888) 231-6478Phone/Fax: 1+ (985) 643-0690



PILE DRIVING EQUIPMENTSales, Sourcing & Brokerage

New & Used Equipment for Land and Marine Applications(Cranes, Hammers, Caps, Leads, Spotters, Compressors

Pumps, Barges, Workboats, Drill Systems, etc.)

ACCESSORIESPile Points and Splices

Uplift ConnectorsReusable Pipe Pile Closures

SUPPLIESHammer Cushion

SPS, CONBEST, HAMORTEX, BONGOSSIFor All Sizes and Makes of Hammers

Concrete Pile CushionsPlywood Cushions Any Size or ThicknessLarge Cylinder Pile Cushions a Specialty

SPS-HD Cushions for Hard DrivingHardwood CushionsComposite Cushions

Hammer PartsSlide Bars for Vulcan Hammers

Recoil Dampener Rings Made to Order

CONSULTING SERVICESInnovative Pile Applications

Equipment ApplicationsDispute and Claims Resolution

SPS

He is a registered professional engineer, aprincipal of GRL Engineers and presidentof Pile Dynamics. He has authorednumerous publications and is a frequentlecturer.

James Long is professor of geotechnicalengineering at the University of Illinois inUrbana. He has been active in researchon the rational determination of resist-ance factors and factors of safety for driv-

en pile design. He is a member of thePDCA Code Committee.

Julie Oliphant has been a geotechnicalengineer with the U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers in New Orleans since January1999.

Richard B. Pinner is a senior geotechni-cal engineer in the Structure FoundationBranch of the Corps of Engineers, NewOrleans District. He has 20 years of expe-rience in planning and directing geotech-nical studies and designs for major struc-tures in the New Orleans District.

Hugh Ronald, PE, is senior bridge engi-neer for the Sverdrup in Jacksonville. He

has extensive experience in bridge design,project management, value engineeringand design-build. He has done extensivedesign work on water and wastewatertreatment plants, marine structures, stadi-ums and buildings throughout theUnited States and overseas. He is a mem-ber of ASBI, IASBE and PCI.

Robert F. Stevens, PhD, joined theSpecial Projects Group of what is nowFugro-McClelland Marine Geosciences inMarch 1978. He has more than 30 years’experience monitoring pile installationsand is a fellow of the American Society ofCivil Engineers and a member of theASCE Codes and Standards ActivitiesCommittee.

and design using FBPIER and the differencesin static capacity between drilled and drivenpiles. The afternoon session will addressMilwaukee’s Sixth Street Viaduct project,

which will illustrate the effects of setup on the choice of pile hammer, pile capacity andthe overall pile installation, as well as the implications of load testing; and the I.H.N.C.Lock Replacement project, a good example of the installation of large diameter, highcapacity steel piles.

Friday’s half-day session will begin with an overview of the replacement of theWoodrow Wilson Bridge and how the Pile Demonstration Program provided a basis foreliminating static load tests during construction. Safety factors of driven piles, driveabil-ity factors as they relate to impact force, and a discussion of the Orlando pile drivingdemonstration will completethe conference agenda.

Presenters for the conferenceare a select group of profession-al engineers, business ownersand professors who have exten-sive involvement in and knowl-edge of the pile driving indus-try. Their insight and experi-ence with pile driving equip-ment, analysis and deep foun-dation projects are an invalu-able continuing education source for attendees. During the seminar, participants will beable to meet with presenters and other attendees to ask questions and share information.

Registration fees are $265 if payment is received by Sept. 1, 2002, and $295 afterthat date. The fee includes: the official Book of Proceedings; session handouts; a copyof the PDCA Code Book, “Recommended Design Specifications for Driven BearingPiles,” 3rd edition; breakfast, two breaks, lunch and a reception on Thursday; andbreakfast and a break on Friday.

The seminar will be held at the historic Whitney Hotel, located at 610 Poydras St.in New Orleans. Reservations can be made by calling (504) 581-4222. The room rate is$109 for a single and $129 for a double per night, guaranteed until Aug. 18. After thatdate, the room rate will be offered on a space-availability basis only. Room taxes are 12percent. There is hotel shuttle service to and from the airport.


The Speakers(Continued From Page 9)

Conference(Continued From Page 9)

For more information, contact the PDCA at(970) 945-1231, [email protected]

or visit the PDCA Web site atwww.piledrivers.org.

See Conference schedule on page 12


Thursday, Sept. 19, 20028 - 8:30 a.m. • Welcome and introduc-tion to the Seminar - Frazier

8:30 - 9:45 a.m. • ★ Keynote Lecture ★“Determining AASHTO Bridge StrengthRequirements to Resist Vessel ImpactLoading” - Bollmann

Often the most important bridge designconsiderations, such as span lengths, spanlayout, foundation types and constructioncosts, are controlled by the requirement tosatisfy vessel collision loading. This timelytalk will focus on how to determine thecode-required bridge strengths to resist vesselimpact loads and how bridge designers canarrive at a safe and economical solution.

9:45 - 10:45 a.m. • “Foundation Analysisand Design Using FBPIER” - Ronald

Procedures developed for the cost-effective design of deep foundations willbe presented using FBPIER as the pri-mary tool for substructure analysis. Use oflinear and non-linear analysis in thedesign process will be discussed.Procedures for ship impact analysis,strength limit state design and establish-ment of minimum pile tip elevations willbe reviewed. The design of the St. GeorgeIsland Bridge foundations and substruc-ture will be used as an example.

Time permitting, a demonstration of FBPIER will be conducted. A simplefoundation will be modeled, soil profileinput and loads generated. The subse-quent analysis and review of the resultswill demonstrate the potential of the pro-gram as a design tool.

11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. • “ComparingStatic Axial Capacity Between Drilled andDriven Piles” - Brown

This presentation will provide anoverview of the differences in static capac-ity between drilled and driven piles. Theeffects of installation, time dependency,displacements required to mobilize capac-ity and field verification of capacity dur-ing construction will be discussed. Selectcase histories will be examined, and soilconditions in which each foundation typemay be used will be identified.

1:15 - 2:30 p.m. • “Milwaukee’s SixthStreet Viaduct Project” - Komurka

Accounting for setup in pile design canresult in the use of smaller hammers,smaller pile sections, shorter piles, highercapacities and, therefore, more-economicalinstallations. A methodology and case his-tory will be presented that utilize dynamicmonitoring during initial driving andrestrike testing to characterize unit setupdistribution as a function of depth, allow-ing for development of depth-variable pen-etration resistance criteria.

3 - 4 p.m. • “The I.H.N.C. Lock Re-placement Project - Load Test and Instal-lation Studies for Large Diameter, HighCapacity Steel Piles” - Pinner, Oliphant

An overview of a proposed (float-in)lock replacement project and the complet-ed pile load tests will be covered. The pileload test contract consisted of installing 48-inch diameter steel pipe piles utilizingvibratory and impact hammers; static com-pression load tests; dynamic pile tests; andnoise and vibration monitoring.

4 - 5 p.m. • “Large Diameter Piles andSoil Setup” - Stevens

During continuous driving, the claysurrounding a pile is remolded, and largeexcess pore water pressures are generated.Because the excess pressures decrease rapid-ly with radial distance from the pile, waterwill begin to flow laterally out of the dis-turbed zone and the clay will consolidate.As pore pressures dissipate, pile capacityincreases. Field measurements have shownthat the time required for driven piles toregain full capacity can be relatively long.The rate of consolidation is a function ofthe coefficient of radial (horizontal) consol-idation, pile radius and pile type. Severalmethods to evaluate setup will be discussed.Case histories will be presented for smalland large diameter open-ended pipe piles,concrete piles and timber piles. The use ofcombined CAPWAP analyses to interpretthe results of redrive tests will be discussed.

Friday, Sept. 20, 20028 - 9 a.m. • “Pile DemonstrationProgram for Replacement of the

Woodrow Wilson Bridge” - ElmanThis case study presents the results

from the Pile Demonstration Programconducted as part of the Replacement ofthe Woodrow Wilson Bridge project. ThePDP was conducted to evaluate pile dri-veability and associated parameters neces-sary for dynamic analysis and to deter-mine ultimate skin friction and end bear-ing values and their distribution fordesign. The PDP included dynamic mon-itoring, static load tests and Statnamicload tests at three locations, and theresults enabled significant optimization ofthe foundation design and cost savings, aswell as evaluating potential settlement ofthe existing Woodrow Wilson Bridge.The PDP provided a basis for eliminatingstatic load tests during construction.

9 - 10 a.m. • “Factors of Safety forDriven Piles” - Long

Several methods can predict the axialcapacity of piles, and the effort, expenseand sophistication required to obtain pre-dictions vary widely. Several load tests willillustrate the accuracy of specific methods.

10:30 - 11:30 a.m. • “Impact ForcesDrive Piles, Not Hammers!” - Bermingham

At the moment of impact, the toe of thepile does not know its head has been hit,and the pile head does not know by whichtype of hammer it has been hit. Words like“single acting,” “double acting,” “diesel,”“hydraulic” and “cushions” are unknown tothe pile head. The head only feels a certainforce that is maintained for a certain period.The pile shaft and toe only “feel” penetra-tion resistance consisting of static anddynamic components. Driveability factors –the combination of the impact force, dura-tion, pile dimensions and material – andsoil resistance will be discussed.

11:30 a.m. - Noon • “Orlando PileDemonstration” - Likins

The outcomes of the driveability andload capacity predictions from the live piledemonstration during the 2002 Geoin-stitute in Orlando, Fla., will be discussed.

Noon - 12:15 p.m. • Close - Frazier

The Conference Schedule

By Jennifer Hart, EditorFor almost a half century, H. B.

Fleming has been a small but formidablespecialty contractor based in South Port-land, Maine. Started in 1955 by HowardFleming and Ray Erickson, the ownershipof H. B. Fleming has changed handstwice, and the company has been in a five-year boom under current owners JohnLinscott, PE, and Dean Sciaraffa, PE.

Linscott and Sciaraffa share more thanjust ownership of H. B. Fleming.Graduates of the University of Mainewith bachelor’s of science degrees in CivilEngineering, both are professional engi-neers who worked for Cianbro beforepurchasing H. B. Fleming. Linscott and

Sciaraffa decided tobecome entrepre-neurs after beingrelocated severaltimes with Cianbro.

“We were look-ing to make a careerchange and wantedto stay in Maine,”said Linscott. “Wetalked extensivelyabout starting our

own business, and then an opportunityarose to purchase H. B. Fleming.”

Linscott and Sciaraffa knew H.B.Fleming was a well-respected company,and they liked the fact that it couldmobilize its resources quickly for small,specialized projects. They bought thecompany in 1993.

H. B. Fleming focuses on pile drivingand the construction of excavation sup-port, cofferdams, pipelines, bridges andretaining walls. Its 25 employees arebased in South Portland, Maine, and thebulk of H. B. Fleming’s work is in NewHampshire, Maine, Massachusetts andVermont. The company posts revenues of$5 million to $6 million a year, and itswork is split evenly between the publicand private sectors.

H. B. Fleming’s employees are amongits most important assets, and the compa-ny takes unique measures to retain them.For example, Linscott reports that health

insurance costs in Maine are skyrocket-ing. In addition to the employees’ cover-age, the company has been paying for alarge portion of family cover-age as a benefit for workers.H. B. Fleming offers aboveaverage wages and anemployee bonus programthat help reduce turnover.

Keeping its employeesbusy is another priority forH. B. Fleming. Linscott andSciaraffa are careful to bal-ance the company’s work-load so employees stay busyyear-round. This meansfocusing on about 50 to 60projects a year and stayingwithin the company’s fieldof expertise.

“We have tried to branchout into other forms of con-tract work in the past,”Linscott commented. “Butthis diverts our attentionfrom what we do best. Deanand I have found it muchmore rewarding to put ourenergies into the company’sstrengths, rather than trying to expandour business offerings.”

Linscott and Sciaraffa are workingmembers of the H. B. Fleming team.They are responsible for estimating,equipment management, purchasing andclient relations. And they are no strangersto the project.

“On occasion where a crew is short-handed, Dean or I will pitch in to get thejob done,” Linscott said. “Dean is a self-taught crane operator and tries to getbehind the controls every fewweeks. It helps us to remainconnected to our work, ourclients and our employeeswhen we can join them on ajob site.”

Like most companies inthe pile driving industry,H.B. Fleming faces the chal-lenge of finding and retain-ing qualified workers. H.B.

Fleming has arrangements with localtechnical schools and colleges to teachstudents about the business, and, when

they hire a new employee, Linscott andSciaraffa try to create opportunities foradvancement with the company.

In addition to attractive bonus, payand benefit programs, maintaining a safework environment is paramount to em-ployee motivation and retention. Linscottreports that safety is built into every proj-ect from the time of the estimate.

“Specifying the right equipment upfront heads off many safety issues beforethey can occur,” Linscott explained. “The


H.B. Fleming Carves A Niche In H.B. Fleming Carves A Niche In Northern New England Market

“On occasion where a crew is short-hand-ed, Dean or I will pitch in to get the job done. ... Ithelps us to remain connected to our work, ourclients and our employees when we can join themon a job site.”– John Linscott, PE


Northern New England MarketH.B. Fleming Carves A Niche In Northern New England Marketright size crane, the correct hammer andthe proper lead make a difference in how

safely our crew can complete a job.”Linscott finds that access to the job

site is another hot safety issue. He andSciaraffa demand that contractors providesafe and adequate access to job sites.Hard, firm areas are a necessity for theequipment required to perform H.B.Fleming’s work. Often, they will visit theconstruction site before a crane is movedin. The company prefers to keep othercontractors off-site while its crew is work-ing.

H.B. Fleming usually prefers to act asa subcontractor. The company is a gener-al contractor on only about five or six ofits more than 60 projects a year. Linscottfeels it is much easier to manage a job asa subcontractor because there is not asmuch paperwork or administrative fol-low-up. His staff is not equipped to be a

full-time general contractor.H.B. Fleming regularly participates in

value engineering for its clients. Mostcommonly, the company is able toreview a proposal and increase the capac-ity of the piles to reduce the number ofpiles used on the job. Some governmentbids that have come across Linscott’sdesk actually have value engineering inthe contract with a clause to split thesavings between the owner and the con-tractor. But Linscott finds that the pri-vate sector is actually more agreeable tothe concept of value engineering. Heuses all the resources at his disposal tomake a bid as cost-effective as possiblefor the contractor or owner. He has uti-lized different design concepts on coffer-dams, shoring systems and retainingwalls to save money, and he often helpsthe geotechnical engineer write the job’sspecifications.

H.B. Fleming’s work usually requiresend bearing H piles, which are driveninto marine clay and peat. The companyowns eight Link-Belt cranes,ranging in weight from 35tons to 80 tons, four MKTdiesel hammers, four Vibropile hammers and an assort-ment of hydraulic augers,leads and welding equip-ment. In the past severalyears, H.B. Fleming has cre-ated the designs and per-formed the pile driving forunderpinning systems andshoring structures. The com-pany’s marine work is mostlypile driving projects such asbulkheads, piers and outfallpipes for wastewater treat-ment plants that do notrequire the use of a barge.

Currently, H. B. Flemingis constructing an outfall pipefor a wastewater plant inExeter, N.H. The $400,000job involves a 32-inch high-density polyethelene pipe,which is installed in a coffer-dam and submerged in a

river. Two 400-foot-long bulkhead proj-ects were also recently completed in NewHampshire and Maine, where Linscottreports that business is booming.

One of the projects Linscott andSciaraffa are most proud of is also thecompany’s largest job. H.B. Fleminginstalled roughly 89,000 feet of H pile injust under eight weeks for a Home Depotin Portland, Maine. The 800 piles werespliced 100 feet in length, and Linscottrecalls pushing three cranes to capacity toget the job done.

“The client was very pleased with ourwork on this project and with the incredi-ble turnaround time. It is a good exampleof what we can really do when we directand focus our efforts,” said Linscott.

Linscott has found that driven pilesare the least expensive deep foundationsolution in his area. He said driven pilesare almost always more cost-efficientthan a drilled option. Even in the case ofdrilled mini piles – grout-type piles thatare said to produce (Continued On Page 16)

John Gay started working for H.B. Fleming in1965, operat-ing various cranes until 1970, when he was assigned asoperator on an LS-108B crawler crane that H.B. Fleminghad just purchased.After 32 years, Gay is still the assignedoperator on the 1966 machine.An expert at driving pileswith fixed leads, he is now 64 years old and plans to keepdriving pile for several more years.

H.B. Fleming installs #8 sheet pile withHelical Anchor tiebacks for the MaineMedical Center in Portland, Maine.


less noise and vibration than driven piles– H.B. Fleming’s driven piles are the bet-ter value.

“In our experience, drilled mini pilesdo not necessarily lower noise and vibra-tion,” Linscott declared. “When we useimpact hammers, noise and vibration arenot a problem for our contractors or thegeneral public. Pollution from lube oils isa bigger concern for environmentalists inour area than is noise pollution. We nowuse vegetable-based lubricants in all ofour vibratory hammers.”

Linscott continued, “The only time

noise was a concern was during some piledriving work near the local hospital. Weworked closely with the hospital staff todetermine the best time to drive the piles.The hospital staff reported that patientsenjoyed watching the pile driving activity.”

H.B. Fleming joined the Pile DrivingContractors Association almost two yearsago, and Linscott has made it a priorityto become involved in the organization.He has already tapped into the PDCA’stechnical resources and finds it useful tohear how other contractors are doingbusiness. The company is also aninvolved member of the AssociatedConstructors of Maine. Sciaraffa will bepresident of the organization next year,and Linscott currently serves on the

Board of Directors.Linscott and Sciaraffa have taken a

company with a solid reputation and con-tinued its tradition of providing qualitywork. They believe in hands-on, honestwork, and clients reward that work ethicwith repeat business.

In their free time, they can be foundpursuing their interest in classic cars.Linscott may be seen driving his 1935 con-vertible Buick coupe with rumble seat orhis Austin Healy 3000 sports car. Sciaraffacan probably be found polishing his 1966Plymouth Satellite with 400 horsepowerengine or driving his 1955 Thunderbird.

For more information about H.B. Fleming,visit its Web site at www.hbfleming.com.

Member Spotlight(Continued From Page 15)


By Jennifer Hart, EditorCentral Florida is no stranger to sink-

holes, but even long-time Floridians wereamazed by the size and depth of one thatformed in a West Orange County apart-ment complex in Orlando June 18.Measuring more than 160 feet in length

and 65 feet deep, the giant sinkhole swal-lowed live oak trees within 10 feet of sev-eral three-story apartment buildings.Residents of the Woodhill apartmentswatched in horror as the massive holelurked dangerously close to their homes. Asecond sinkhole measuring 15 feet acrossopened up approximately 150 feet fromthe first.

Orlando police and engineers wereforced to evacuate several apartment build-ings. Homeless residents were taken in byfamily, friends and the Red Cross, andsome were relocated to other apartments inthe complex. Residents were not allowed toreturn to their apartments until the sink-hole was stabilized. But stabilizing such alarge sinkhole during a rainy summer inOrlando was a monumental task.

In Central Florida, sinkholes formwhen a fault in the lower limestone layerof the ground breaks through and loosesands on the top layers of ground sink in.Typically a sinkhole is backfilled with soilor concrete or made into a lake or pond.

For the West Orange County sinkhole,these conventional methods would havecreated an even larger gorge.

Orlando-based geotechnical specialistGEC accessed the sinkhole and recom-mended a specialized retaining wallinstalled by PDCA-member Giken

America Corporationof Orlando. Giken, adivision of theJapanese-owned GikenSeisakusho Company,

Ltd., was chosen for this project because ofits unique pile driving equipment andmethods.

Conventional, prefabricated piles aretraditionally pounded or vibrated into theground using percussive or vibratory energy.Because of the precarious position of thesinkhole, even slight vibrations on or nearthe site could have led to slope failure andadditional loss of land and possibly evenbuildings. Yet to remedy the situation, thestrength and durability of prefabricatedmaterials was needed. Enter Giken America.

More than three decades ago, Giken’sfounder, Akio Kitmura, pioneered a newpile driving technique. The press-inmethod is a reaction-based system wherea press-in pile driving machine uses previ-ously installed piles to derive reactionforce, which provides the power tohydraulically jack subsequent piles intothe ground. Because piles are being“pressed” in, very little vibration or noiseis generated.

At the beginning of a job, there are

usually no piles in the ground from whichto start. To combat this, the press-in pileris set up on a special stand and an appro-priate amount of counterweight – deter-mined by ground conditions and pilelength – is added to the stand. The firstpile is then pressed in using the reactionpower from the combined weight. As eachinitial pile is driven, the press-in pilermoves forward and grasps that pile,increasing the amount of available reactionforce. Once all the initial piles have beenpressed in, the piler can be moved off thereaction stand.

During normal operation, the press-inpiler needs only one crane to pitch piles.Once a pressed-in pile is sufficiently stable,the piler releases its clamps from the reac-tion piles and uses this pile to raise itselfup and propel forward. Grant Bearss, vicepresident of operations for Giken America,likens the movement of the press-in pilerto a person climbing a tree.

“The piler grips the last installed pile,pushes itself up and moves forward. Thissystem makes any supporting crane unnec-essary,” he explained.

Bearss has worked for Giken for sixyears, after a nine-year stint in Japan as aconsultant for his own firm. He has adegree in Aerospace Engineering fromRMC (Canada) and labels himself a “jack-of-all-trades” for Giken America. He oftenassumes the roles of field engineer, businessoperations manager and chief estimator forthe company’s American operations.

The Giken WallGiken America began working imme-

diately to prepare for the installation of atubular sheet pile wall that would encom-pass the sinkhole and protect the nearbyapartment buildings. Large diameter pipepile with fabricated interlocks was used toform a locked pipe pile wall that is bothrigid and economical, considering itsstrength. The piles were installed byGiken America’s press-in machine, theSilent Piler. (Continued On Page 18)

Giken America Called In To Help After Giant Sinkhole Threatens Apartment Buildings

A Sinking Feeling

In addition to the low noise and almostindistinct vibrations created by the press-inmethod, there was another major advantageto choosing Giken’s pile driving system.Because the sinkhole was so close to theapartment buildings, there was only 10 feetof right-of-way from which to work. TheSilent Piler requires only seven feet of right-of-way.

“Our crane and generator had to beplaced some distance away from the site,”commented Bearss. “The Silent Piler was theonly piece of equipment that could get close to the sinkhole.”

Corpac Steel Products of Miami was the source of the pipe pileand fabrication, and the materials arrived on site from St. Louis inless than one week. This incredible turnaround time had Corpac

fabricators working around the clock.While Giken America awaited thearrival of the piles, its pile driving teamwas setting up at the sinkhole site.

“Our piler had to be lifted overthree-story apartment complexes,”said Bearss. “We actually had to takethe machine apart and lift it over theapartments in pieces to get it to thejob site.”

The project took nine workingdays to complete once materialsarrived, and the Giken America team

worked continuously through the daylight hours.Bearss and his team faced several challenges unique to this

project, some of which they had little control over.“The rainy weather made work conditions uncomfortable and

dangerous,” he said. “Rain softens the already unstable groundand increases the risk of further sinkage. It was imperative weworked as quickly as possible to shore up this hole.”

Bearss said it was also unusual to be working where the teamcould not see the crane and with the generator placed several feetaway from the work site.

Press-In Piling Makes Inroads In U.S.Giken opened its North American branch more than three

years ago, and Giken America has acted both as general contractorand subcontractor (or rental agency) on several East Coast proj-ects, most recently in Tampa and New York City.

Giken America created a temporary cofferdam for a pump sta-tion at the University of Tampa, Southern Florida. The fear ofopening a sinkhole caused by vibrations that had previouslyaccompanied the installation of sheet piles prompted the universi-ty to consider press-in pile driving.

In April 2002, Giken America completed the second phase ofthe Long Island Expressway/Cross Island Parkway project. The

company rented its Silent Piler to PeriniCorporation of New York City, which worked withthe New York State Department of Transportationon the expressway project. According to Bearss, the

economics of the materials, right-of-way restrictions and accuracyof installation were the reasons Perini chose Giken America. Periniused the Silent Piler to create a permanent retaining wall and areafor temporary support of excavation. Bearss noted that this 35-foot cantilevered wall is the largest of its kind in North America.

As for residents of the Woodhill apartment complex, once theretaining wall was complete they were able to move back to theirvacated apartments. In the future, a pond will remind these folksof the scary event that nearly swallowed up their homes.

Grant Bearss is vice president of operations for Giken AmericaCorporation. He can be reached for comment or more informationat [email protected].


Sinking(Continued From Page 17)

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“We actuallyhad to take themachine apart and liftit over the apartmentsin pieces to get it tothe job site.”– Grant BearssVice PresidentGiken America Corp.


Length: Is 1,500 to 2,000 words and is a typed, clean copy.

Title: Has a title with an active verb, followed by a one-sentence or one-paragraph lead that explains the purpose of the article.

Content: Provides information that is important and relative to a majority of equipment managers and technicians.

Byline: Includes a byline with a one-sentence description giving the author’s full name, title, company or organization and contact number or e-mail address.

Artwork: Includes supporting charts, tables, photos or artwork in TIFF or JPG file format that are of proper clarity and relate to the article.

Accuracy: Is checked for accuracy.

Submission: Is submitted as a Microsoft Word attachment in an e-mail to [email protected] or on a computer disk in Microsoft Word format to: PDCA, P.O. Box 1429, Glenwood Springs, Colo. 81602.

Original Articles For PileDrivers.OrgPDCA is arming members with information relevant to the piledriving industry. Topics of interest include but are not limited tonoise, vibration, safety, human resources and management skills.

DescriptionPDCA is seeking original articles that meet the following specifications:

CautionPDCA has editorial guidelines available with information on style rules, evaluation and decision of acceptance,copyright transfer and the editing process. Please take a moment to review these guidelines atwww.piledrivers.org or by calling (970) 945-1231.

RewardArticles meeting the PDCA’s editorial guidelines will be published in future issues of PileDrivers.Org and mailedto PDCA’s membership. For a complete listing of the editorial guidelines, please visit www.piledrivers.org or call(970) 945-1231.

If you or someone in your office has an article or would like to write an article meeting the description above,please contact the PDCA at [email protected] or (970) 945-1231.


Jeff HroncichTriad Metals International3480 Grand Ave.Pittsburgh, Pa. 15225Phone: (412) 331-7772Fax: (412) 771-9316

Jay KesslerBrown-Strauss Steel2495 Uravan St.Aurora, Colo. 80011-3539Phone: (800) 677-2778Fax: (303) 375-8133E-mail: [email protected]

Paul J. KotsenasSteel Dynamics2601 County Road 700 EastColumbia City, Ind. 46725Phone: (260) 625-8711Fax: (260) 625-8950E-mail: [email protected]

David R. ChapmanBlakeslee,Arpaya, and Chapman200 North Branford Rd.Branford, Conn. 06405Phone: (203) 488-2947Fax: (203) 488-3997E-mail: [email protected]

Ernest GrochalskiStevens Painton Corporation150 Technology Dr.Canonsburg, Pa. 15317Phone: (724) 873-0931Fax: (724) 873-0937

John KingPile Drivers, Inc.4530 Hwy. 162Charleston, S.C. 29449Phone: (843) 763-7736Fax: (843) 763-7974E-mail: [email protected]

Kaye ShealyPile Drivers, Inc.4530 Hwy. 162Charleston, S.C. 29449Phone: (843) 766-5833E-mail: [email protected]

Van E. KomurkaWagner Komurka Geotechnical GroupW67 N222 Evergreen Blvd., #100Cedarburg,Wis. 53012Phone: (262) 376-2001Fax: (202) 376-2002E-mail: [email protected]

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New Technical Members

When sheet piling for a new art muse-um in Arhus, Denmark, was brought to astandstill soon after it began inNovember 2000, Danish foundation con-tractor Per Aarsleff had to find a new wayof reducing the noise from its Junttan pil-ing hammer to meet environmentalrestrictions.

The firm had just started installing asheet pile cofferdam around the perimeterof the 55m by 55m site, which sits amid amusic hall, court buildings and residentialflats. The local authorities had set a noiselimit of 75dB at the nearest neighborhoodbuilding, 30m away.

Silencing was achievedby shrouding the impactzone between the hammerand pile top with a spe-cially designed soundproofcasing. The silencer com-prises a hollow sectionsteel frame filled with foam, surroundedby an aluminum casing which houses a50mm thick rubber layer to absorb highfrequency noise and a 6mm thick layer todampen low frequency noise.

The casing attaches to the mast of thepiling rig and surrounds the whole ham-mer. Two hydraulically controlled gatesclose the casing at the bottom of thehammer so that it fits snugly across thetop of the sheet pile without hamperingthe installation process, hence blockingnoise.

“One of the problems developing thesilencer was to make it handy and opera-tional – the silencer has not slowed downpiling too much,” said Per Aarsleff Pilingmanager Lars Rande.

The sheet piles were installed throughfill, boulder clay and into stiff fissuredclay to form the basement excavation, upto 14m deep in places. Piles between18m and 23m long were used for thethree highest walls, with additional sup-port by 280 anchors. The lower northernwall consists of 13m long piles.

Once excavation had reached justbelow the first anchoring layer, itprogressed in 4m deep, 5m widestrips starting across the center of thehole. Each trench was excavated at90 degrees to the previous one and a700mm thick concrete blinding layerplaced at the base. This providedconstant support to the sheet pilesthroughout excavation and saved onelayer of anchors in the sheet pile wall.

The sheet piles will provide perma-nent support to the basement, withmuseum walls built 500mm from the

cofferdam, creating a serv-ice duct around theperimeter.

Noise levels were mon-itored throughout theinstallation and the 75dBlimit was never exceeded.Container screens at

strategic locations muffled noise further.A similar silencing device has been

used to install precast concrete piles onthe project. A total of 620, 300mmsquare precast piles were driven for themuseum, 570 of which were installedthrough the basement slab. Polystyreneblocks placed in the blinding layer at thepile positions allowed piles to be driventhrough the slab.

As 500kN to 1000kN of uplift wasexpected due to heave in the upper partof the clay, piles were designed for ten-sion. To limit negative skin friction onthe piles, the upper layer, above the watertable, was predrilled to 8m with a300mm auger.

The piles were driven to about 18musing a 6t Uddcomb hammer fitted witha silencer, which had to be modified toallow it to close around the square sectionof the pile below the hammer. Again,noise was cut by more than 10dB.

However, monitoring noise duringthis part of the work proved difficultbecause it was cut to below background

levels.“Men could stand by the rig and were

able to talk without raising their voices,”said Finn Rasmussen, the engineer whodesigned the silencer.

Work on the DKK230M(Ecu11.25M) contract was due to finishon schedule when this article went topress.

A similar silencer is being used toinstall concrete piles on another contractin the cosmopolitan Clementborg cafédistrict. Here, Per Aarsleff is using aGiken Silent Piler to install up to 13mlong sheet piles to support a 3m deepexcavation for a new shopping and enter-tainment center. The Giken can exert150t of pressure and install 40m2 of sheetpiles a day without noise or vibration.Installation is helped by the use of waterjetting.

Following the success of the proto-types, the silencer for precast concrete pil-ing is close to its final version and PerAarsleff will soon be able to offer most ofits rigs with the silencer option.

Some 95 percent of piles in Denmarkare driven, and the development of thesilencer means Aarsleff can carry on drivingpiles under the increasingly severe noiserestrictions being set by local authorities.

Aarsleff can continue to use sheet pilesas a suitable solution where previouslyother methods, such as slurry walls, mayhave been chosen to meet environmentalconstraints.

This article originally appeared inEuropean Foundations, Summer 2001.


Danish foundation contractor Per Aarsleff has developed a pile hammer silencer to comply with strictenvironmental noise restrictions being imposed on city center projects.

The Sounds Of Silence

“One of the problems developing thesilencer was to make it handy and operational – the silencer has not sloweddown piling too much.” – Per Aarsleff Piling Manager Lars Rande

“Men could stand bythe rig and were able to talkwithout raising their voices.” – Engineer Finn Rasmussen


By Lisa Kopochinski for CaliforniaConstruction Link (3/28/02)

Pile driving and its effects on the com-munity and industry was the topic of dis-cussion at a recent seminar at the CON-EXPO-CON/AGG show in Las Vegas.

Pile driving is one of the loudest con-struction operations. Because it producesvibrations and noise thousands of feetfrom the driving activity, it has become areal problem for contractors. People arebecoming increasingly intolerant to theseeffects and complaining greatly, even tothe point of litigation, in some cases.

“Noise may be the most serious threat tothe pile driving industry today,” said W.Allen Marr, chief executive officer of Box-borough, Mass.-based GEOCOMP Corp.“It is causing damage because it creates aperceived problem to those impacted.”

Marr said studies have shown thatpeople can perceive vibrations at about0.01 in./sec., or 100th the level at whichstructural damage might occur. As aresult, people become anxious and mayworry unnecessarily about the safety oftheir building.

The situation, Marr explained, iscausing some project owners and govern-ment agencies to choose alternatives topile driving – a detrimental move for theindustry for several reasons. Alternativesmay be more expensive or produce com-parable levels of noise and vibration.

In an effort to address these concernsand offer a viable solution, GEOCOMPhas developed iSite-VM, a Web-basedsystem designed for the vibration moni-toring of blasting, construction, demoli-tion, earthquakes, traffic and trains.

“This is a real-time Web-based vibra-tion monitoring system. We are collectingdata today that was virtually impossible 10years ago, at much less cost,” said Marr.

The iSite model is based on seismo-graphs located in areas accessible by tele-phone, he said. Clients interact with thesystem using pagers, e-mail and theInternet. All vibration data is downloaded

to a centralized database,and clients are notified ifalarm levels have beenexceeded.

Marr, a geotechnicalengineer who foundedGEOCOMP 20 yearsago, specializes in pre-dicting and measuringthe performance of largeearthwork facilities andexcavations. He is cur-rently leading the teamthat makes all geotechnical measurementsduring the construction of Boston’s $5 bil-lion Central Artery/Tunnel project, dubbedthe “Big Dig.”

This massive project involves the con-struction of more than seven miles ofunderground highway through the centerof the city. Numerous structures – fromhistoric brick buildings to modern high-rises – exist within the potential impactzone of construction.

“A central part of the effort is an exten-sive instrumentation program to monitorthe effects of construction work on adja-cent buildings and changes in foundationconditions,” he explained.

Marr added that contractors will bene-fit from the iSite system in numerous ways:

☛ Alarm notification allows for bettercontrol over construction vibrations.

☛ Data can be accessed from a Webbrowser.

☛ Data can be accessed by project,location and date, so file names areunnecessary.

☛ Automated reporting saves timeand money.

He said contractors must developapproaches to manage vibration andnoise levels produced by pile driving.These include:

☛ Education: People who may beimpacted by pile driving need to beinformed in advance of planned activitiesand what the impact may be. Informedpeople are less likely to suspect that vibra

tions and noise are causing physical harmto themselves or their property.

☛ Abatement: Take steps to reducevibration and noise levels to the extentthat this is economically possible. Limitthe time of driving to daylight hourswhen people are less affected by thesenuisances. Use noise shrouds or curtainsto reduce levels by 15 to 30 dB.

☛ Monitoring: Measure the vibrationand noise levels at key locations. Measure-ments can become invaluable if you facelegal action over vibration or noise com-plaints. Should the measurements showunacceptable performance, adjust your workprocesses to correct the problem before acomplaint occurs. Measurements shouldbegin before pile driving starts to establishbackground levels of vibration and noise.

☛ Involvement: Keep the affectedparties informed of the project’s progressthrough the use of community represen-tatives, meetings, newsletters or a projectWeb page.

☛ Proactive: Stay proactive to mini-mize misinformation. Often, vibrationand noise can be more of a perceivedproblem, but you do have to work tomanage the perception.

Reprinted from construction.com,McGraw-Hill Construction InformationGroup, a division of The McGraw-HillCompanies; (c) 2002 The McGraw-HillCompanies - All rights reserved.

Pile Driving And VibrationManaging The Opposition


2 Volumes - 1,162 PagesPile Drivers, Geotechs, Engineers, Professors, Students: Purchase your copy of the Federal Highway Administration’s

Design and Construction of Driven Pile Foundations Workshop Manual

PDCA Members: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $74.95 plus shipping & handlingNon-members: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $84.95 plus shipping & handlingOrders of 10 or more: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $59.95 plus shipping & handling

Shipping & handling: For UPS ground service in the United States, add $10 for first set, $5 for each additional set.

❑ Please send me _____ manuals ❑ Yes, I would like to become a member of PDCA

Name: _____________________________________________ Company: __________________________________________

Street address: __________________________________________ City/state/zip: __________________________________

Telephone:_____________________________ Fax: __________________________ E-mail:____________________________

Method of payment: ❑ Check enclosed ❑ Visa ❑ MasterCard ❑ American Express

Card # _____________________________________________________________ Exp. date: __________________________

Signature: ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Please make checks payable to PDCA. Fax or mail to:

PDCA, P.O. Box 1429Glenwood Springs, Colorado 81602

(970) 945-1231 • Fax: (970) 384-0512E-mail: [email protected] page: www.piledrivers.org

Show Your Pride In PDCA!Order Hard-Hat

Stickers For All Your Workers!

Just 75 Cents Each (Includes Postage And Handling)

Minimum Order Of 5 ($3.75) - AllOrders Must Be Prepaid

The Book Of ProceedingsFrom the last two PDCA Winter Roundtables

(2001 in San Antonio and 2002 in San Francisco)and the Design and Installation of Cost Efficient

Driven Piles Conference (2001 in Atlanta)are now available

$25 EachFor information, contact

The Pile Driving Contractors AssociationP.O. Box 1429 • Glenwood Springs, Colorado 81602

(970) 945-1231 • Fax: (970) 384-0512E-mail: [email protected]

Web site: www.piledrivers.org

For information, contact PDCA • P.O. Box 1429

Glenwood Springs, Colo. 81602 • (970) 945-1231

Fax: (970) 384-0512


PDCA Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10 each

PDCA Members, 5 or more copies. . . . . . $7.50 each

Non-Members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $15 each

Non-Members, 5 or more copies . . . . . . . . $10 each

Shipping and handling: $2 for first book, $1 for each additional book, within the United States

Recommended Design Specifications

For Driven Bearing Piles

Third Edition

Please send ____ copies of “Recommended DesignSpecifications For Driven Bearing Piles,” Third Edition,to:

Name _______________________________________

Company ____________________________________

Address ______________________________________

City/state/zip _________________________________

Method of payment:❑ Check (must accompany order) ❑ VISA ❑ MasterCard ❑ American Express

Card #_______________________________________

Expiration date ________________________________

Name as it appears on card ______________________

Signature ____________________________________

Now Available From the Pile Driving Contractors Association

Send form with payment or fax form with payment information to:

Pile Driving Contractors AssociationP.O. Box 1429, Glenwood Springs, Colorado 81602

(970) 945-1231 • Fax: (970) 384-0512

Purchase the newly revisedcode manual for all required

guidelines of driven piles.Available only through the Pile

Driving Contractors Association.


Membership Type(check one)

❑ Contractor❑ Associate❑ Technical Affiliate❑ StudentSponsored By:__________________________

Primary or Official RepresentativeCompany:

Name:

Title:

Phone:

Fax:

Address:

City/state/zip:

E-mail:

Home page:

❑ Pile Driving

❑ Marine Contracting

❑ Earth Retention

❑ Bridge Building

❑ Deep Dynamic Compaction

❑ Bulkheads

❑ Other ____________

❑ Rental ❑ Sales❑ Vibratory Drivers/Extractors❑ Steel Beams❑ Pipe Pile❑ Timber Pile❑ Concrete Pile❑ Cranes❑ Fixed/Swinging Leads❑ Steel Sheet Piling❑ H Bearing Piling❑ Pile Point & Splicer❑ Jet Pumps❑ Plastic Pipe Piles❑ Inserts

❑ Steel Fabrication❑ Wick Installation Equipment❑ Sheet Piles❑ Drills❑ De-Watering Pumps❑ Composite Pile❑ Cushion Materials❑ Pile Driving Leads❑ Wick Drain❑ Cutter Head❑ Drill Bits❑ H-Beam❑ Plastic Sheet Piles❑ Drive Caps❑ Dock Supplies

❑ Off Shore Leader System❑ Wick Drain Supplies❑ Drilling Supplies

Pile Hammers

❑ Vibratory

❑ Diesel

❑ Hydraulic

❑ Air/Steam❑ Other________________

❑ Other________________

❑ Other________________

❑ Other________________

PDCA Membership Application

Associate Company (check all that apply)

Contractor Company Description(check all that apply)

(Continued on back)


Method of PaymentAttached is my payment of $_______ for annual dues.

❑ Check Number _______________ ❑ Visa

❑ MasterCard ❑ American Express

Card Number: _____________________________ Name on Card: _____________________________________

Expiration Date:_________________ Signature: _____________________________________________________

Please make checks payable to PDCA. Copy this form and fax or mail it to:PDCA, P.O. Box 1429, Glenwood Springs, Colorado 81602 • (970) 945-1231

Fax: (970) 384-0512 • E-mail: [email protected] • Home page: www.piledrivers.org

❑ Contractor - $550 per company❑ Associate - $550 per company❑ Technical Affiliate - $75 per person❑ Student - $25 per person

Areas of Contracting, Products and Services Available (all applicants check all that apply)

❑ All States❑ Continental U.S.❑ Global❑ AK❑ AL❑ AR❑ AZ❑ CA❑ CO❑ CT❑ DC❑ DE❑ FL❑ GA

❑ HI❑ IA❑ ID❑ IL❑ IN❑ KS❑ KY❑ LA❑ MA❑ MD❑ ME❑ MI❑ MN❑ MO

❑ MS❑ MT❑ NC❑ ND❑ NE❑ NH❑ NJ❑ NM❑ NV❑ NY❑ OH❑ OK❑ OR❑ PA

❑ RI❑ SC❑ SD❑ TN❑ TX❑ UT❑ VA❑ VT❑ WA❑ WI❑ WV❑ WY❑ Other_____________

Technical Affiliate Company Description (check all that apply)

PDCA Membership Application

❑ Analysis

❑ Design

❑ Testing

❑ Vibration Monitoring

❑ Surveys:

Description __________________

❑ Consulting

❑ Geo Technical Engineers

❑ Pile Monitoring

❑ Civil Engineering

❑ Other ______________________

______________________

Contributions or gifts to PDCA are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. However, dues payments are deductible as a miscellaneous itemized deduction.

The Pile Driving Contractors Association

P.O. Box 1429

Glenwood Springs, Colo. 81602


installation requires only

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