Have you stopped to consider, recently, the fact that pile driving has been around for a very long time? It is so easy, in today's busy world, to take things for granted. Pile driving has been around for thousands of years, with some estimates dating the practice as far back as five millennia. Fascinating! When we put this in perspective, it is humbling to think that we are part of an industry that has had a hand in constructing some of the greatest civilizations in the world not to mention what is being built in current times.
Let's take a brief walk down history lane. The recognition that a building or structure needs a strong foundation is well foundational, and dates back to the earliest days when civilization decided to construct buildings. In these early days, pile driving was produced by human effort to generate the physical force necessary to drive piles into the ground. The earliest foundation piles were most probably poles constructed from trees that were driven into the ground to support what was being built.
Needless to say, the pile driving industry has come a long way. The human effort of yesteryear has been replaced with mechanical hammers to transfer the energy necessary in the pile driving process. Machines are used in every aspect of pile driving but the industry is so much more than the physical act of placing a structure in the ground, although that is the main focus for the company engaged in this work.
The Pile Driving Contractors Association represents every aspect of the pile driving industry. As such, this history is an important part of where we are today. The techniques, tools and talents of the people who work in the industry are all part of this very important building foundation process. Looking closer, it is evident that not only the equipment and techniques have changed but the very devices used to create the foundation have changed dramatically.
Early forms of driven piles were limited to the available resources at the time. This means that the size and length of the pile would have been as big as the trees in that area. Wood has played a major role in the pile driving industry since its inception 'til today and will continue to be a mainstay for certain applications. The advent of steel manufacturing and concrete production opened the door to these materials becoming widely used for the driven pile.
Not only has the type of pile changed but the size of the piles has changed dramatically. The earliest piles being driven by human effort combined with available resources would produce a practical limitation on the size and length of a pile that could be driven into the ground. Today, with mechanical advantage and manufacturing capabilities, the size and length are almost unlimited. As an example, the largest driven piles on record were steel pipe piles measuring 97 feet in diameter by 110 feet long and weighing in at 600 metric tons each. The equipment used to drive these piles consisted of 12 large vibro hammers mounted together and powered by twelve 1,200-hp engines supplying a combined total of 14,400 hp. At full power, the machinery delivered nearly 4,000 gallons of oil per minute, producing a massive 7,200 tons of drive force. This setup includes over 20,000 feet of hydraulic lines (approximately 3.8 miles), and an advanced control system to keep all the components in perfect synchronization. The total hammer weight is 700 metric tons with 4,200 tons of line pull ability. All of this technology and equipment would seem like science fiction to our predecessors. Needless to say, it took design acumen, experience, modern material and machinery, and a lot of people to get these piles in the ground.
Because of the unique quality that each material brings to the driven pile process, PDCA will dedicate specific editions of PileDriver magazine to highlight the material used in driven pile projects. The next issue of PileDriver magazine will focus on the steel industry. How many different types of steel piles are there? The answer is many, too many to innumerate here. Take our word for it this will be an exciting issue for the magazine to delve into the various types and content of the steel pile community. Interestingly, a large number of the 2019 PDCA Project of the Year Award entries were for steel pile jobs.
The history of steel can be traced back to its iron roots almost as far back as the history of pile driving. Even though iron has been around for about 4,000 years, we have to fast-forward to the 17th century when the urbanization in Europe demanded a more versatile structural metal, and then to 1856 when Henry Bessemer developed an effective way to use oxygen to reduce the carbon content in iron. This lowered the carbon content, making the metal more ductile and raised the melting temperature, making it more versatile. The modern steel industry was born. This didn't mean that steel was immediately used for driving piles in foundation work, but it did usher in a new material that would become a significant part of the pile driving industry.
Coincidentally, pile driving started to play a major role in the construction industry in the 1800s at the onset of the Industrial Revolution. It was also during this period that human power was replaced by machine power with the primary energy source at the time being steam.
Over the course of the next 150 years, pile driving equipment and techniques continued to improve. Additionally, the engineering community also gained a better understanding during this time about how a driven pile interacts with the subsurface to form a foundation. Put all this together and you have the modern pile driving industry. PDCA members including contractors, associates, and engineers are involved in moving the pile driving industry forward. New research is being completed on a global scale, new equipment is being designed, and new techniques are being tested.
Throughout the pile driving history the most important technicality has always been to ensure that the piles were not in any way compromised in the event that they encounter an opposing force. Structural integrity, to say the least, is absolutely essential. This is the essence of the PDCA slogan that "A Driven Pile is a Tested Pile!"
The next few issues of PileDriver magazine will be dedicated to the material used in the pile driving industry wood, steel and concrete, one at a time. Articles and highlights will include stories about the companies, people and material on jobs where pile driving was used for the foundation. These articles will be compelling and interesting, and you won't want to miss any of them. Much more will be said as we go forward.
It is important to look back and know our past. Pile driving has a long and rich history, longer than any other process in the deep foundation industry. We can and should learn from all that has been done. Pile driving has earned its place in the deep foundation industry. It is equally, if not more important to know where we are going. Innovation, technology and people will all change over time and the pile driving industry must necessarily change to meet new demands. With the tremendous amount of interest and support surrounding the industry, PDCA and the pile driving industry will look to the future and can expect to be around for a very long time.Pile Driving is More than Meets the Eye
August 28, 2019
Have you stopped to consider, recently, the fact that pile driving has been around for a very long time? It is so easy, in today's busy world, to take things for granted. Pile driving has been around for thousands of years, with some estimates dating the practice as far back as five millennia. Fascinating! When we put this in perspective, it is humbling to think that we are part of an industry that has had a hand in constructing some of the greatest civilizations in the world not to mention what is being built in current times.
Let's take a brief walk down history lane. The recognition that a building or structure needs a strong foundation is well foundational, and dates back to the earliest days when civilization decided to construct buildings. In these early days, pile driving was produced by human effort to generate the physical force necessary to drive piles into the ground. The earliest foundation piles were most probably poles constructed from trees that were driven into the ground to support what was being built.
Needless to say, the pile driving industry has come a long way. The human effort of yesteryear has been replaced with mechanical hammers to transfer the energy necessary in the pile driving process. Machines are used in every aspect of pile driving but the industry is so much more than the physical act of placing a structure in the ground, although that is the main focus for the company engaged in this work.
The Pile Driving Contractors Association represents every aspect of the pile driving industry. As such, this history is an important part of where we are today. The techniques, tools and talents of the people who work in the industry are all part of this very important building foundation process. Looking closer, it is evident that not only the equipment and techniques have changed but the very devices used to create the foundation have changed dramatically.
Early forms of driven piles were limited to the available resources at the time. This means that the size and length of the pile would have been as big as the trees in that area. Wood has played a major role in the pile driving industry since its inception 'til today and will continue to be a mainstay for certain applications. The advent of steel manufacturing and concrete production opened the door to these materials becoming widely used for the driven pile.
Not only has the type of pile changed but the size of the piles has changed dramatically. The earliest piles being driven by human effort combined with available resources would produce a practical limitation on the size and length of a pile that could be driven into the ground. Today, with mechanical advantage and manufacturing capabilities, the size and length are almost unlimited. As an example, the largest driven piles on record were steel pipe piles measuring 97 feet in diameter by 110 feet long and weighing in at 600 metric tons each. The equipment used to drive these piles consisted of 12 large vibro hammers mounted together and powered by twelve 1,200-hp engines supplying a combined total of 14,400 hp. At full power, the machinery delivered nearly 4,000 gallons of oil per minute, producing a massive 7,200 tons of drive force. This setup includes over 20,000 feet of hydraulic lines (approximately 3.8 miles), and an advanced control system to keep all the components in perfect synchronization. The total hammer weight is 700 metric tons with 4,200 tons of line pull ability. All of this technology and equipment would seem like science fiction to our predecessors. Needless to say, it took design acumen, experience, modern material and machinery, and a lot of people to get these piles in the ground.
Because of the unique quality that each material brings to the driven pile process, PDCA will dedicate specific editions of PileDriver magazine to highlight the material used in driven pile projects. The next issue of PileDriver magazine will focus on the steel industry. How many different types of steel piles are there? The answer is many, too many to innumerate here. Take our word for it this will be an exciting issue for the magazine to delve into the various types and content of the steel pile community. Interestingly, a large number of the 2019 PDCA Project of the Year Award entries were for steel pile jobs.
The history of steel can be traced back to its iron roots almost as far back as the history of pile driving. Even though iron has been around for about 4,000 years, we have to fast-forward to the 17th century when the urbanization in Europe demanded a more versatile structural metal, and then to 1856 when Henry Bessemer developed an effective way to use oxygen to reduce the carbon content in iron. This lowered the carbon content, making the metal more ductile and raised the melting temperature, making it more versatile. The modern steel industry was born. This didn't mean that steel was immediately used for driving piles in foundation work, but it did usher in a new material that would become a significant part of the pile driving industry.
Coincidentally, pile driving started to play a major role in the construction industry in the 1800s at the onset of the Industrial Revolution. It was also during this period that human power was replaced by machine power with the primary energy source at the time being steam.
Over the course of the next 150 years, pile driving equipment and techniques continued to improve. Additionally, the engineering community also gained a better understanding during this time about how a driven pile interacts with the subsurface to form a foundation. Put all this together and you have the modern pile driving industry. PDCA members including contractors, associates, and engineers are involved in moving the pile driving industry forward. New research is being completed on a global scale, new equipment is being designed, and new techniques are being tested.
Throughout the pile driving history the most important technicality has always been to ensure that the piles were not in any way compromised in the event that they encounter an opposing force. Structural integrity, to say the least, is absolutely essential. This is the essence of the PDCA slogan that "A Driven Pile is a Tested Pile!"
The next few issues of PileDriver magazine will be dedicated to the material used in the pile driving industry wood, steel and concrete, one at a time. Articles and highlights will include stories about the companies, people and material on jobs where pile driving was used for the foundation. These articles will be compelling and interesting, and you won't want to miss any of them. Much more will be said as we go forward.
It is important to look back and know our past. Pile driving has a long and rich history, longer than any other process in the deep foundation industry. We can and should learn from all that has been done. Pile driving has earned its place in the deep foundation industry. It is equally, if not more important to know where we are going. Innovation, technology and people will all change over time and the pile driving industry must necessarily change to meet new demands. With the tremendous amount of interest and support surrounding the industry, PDCA and the pile driving industry will look to the future and can expect to be around for a very long time.
