The present invention relates to a pile-driver, comprising a support member arranged or arrangeable in transverse direction at or on a pile, a liquid chamber which is bounded on the underside by the support member and which further comprises one or more side walls and is configured to receive a liquid therein, one or more pressure build-up chambers, an ignition mechanism configured to ignite a fuel present in the combustion space, and wherein the combustion space is configured to expand fuel present therein during combustion such that a pressure build-up takes place above the support member and the liquid present above the support member in the liquid chamber is displaced at least in upward direction away from the support member, whereby a downward force is exerted on the pile via the support member. The invention further relates to a method for driving a pile downward into the ground using such a pile-driver.

The present invention provides a method of installing a foundation for an offshore wind turbine and a template for use herein. In illustrative embodiments, the template is releasably anchored in a seafloor and the template is leveled before installing a pile. In a method according to some illustrative embodiments herein, a template may be provided, the template comprising at least one hollow guiding element for receiving the pile, at least one suction bucket, a frame body to which the at least one hollow guiding element and the at least one suction bucket are coupled, and controlling means configured to supply a pressure to the at least one suction bucket. The method may comprise disposing the template on the seafloor, supplying a negative pressure to the at least one suction bucket for driving the suction bucket in to the seafloor, and controlling the negative pressure supplied to the at least one suction bucket to adjusting a penetration depth of the at least one suction bucket so as to level the frame relative to the seafloor.

The present invention provides a method of installing a foundation for an offshore wind turbine and a template for use herein. In illustrative embodiments, the template is releasably anchored in a seafloor and the template is leveled before installing a pile. In a method according to some illustrative embodiments herein, a template may be provided, the template comprising at least one hollow guiding element for receiving the pile, at least one suction bucket, a frame body to which the at least one hollow guiding element and the at least one suction bucket are coupled, and controlling means configured to supply a pressure to the at least one suction bucket. The method may comprise disposing the template on the seafloor, supplying a negative pressure to the at least one suction bucket for driving the suction bucket in to the seafloor, and controlling the negative pressure supplied to the at least one suction bucket to adjusting a penetration depth of the at least one suction bucket so as to level the frame relative to the seafloor.

A method for installing pile foundations for power transmission towers or the like in different types of soil prone to frost heaving provides piles with bearing capacity against horizontal loads, reduced labor content and installation cost, and increased reliability against the impact of frost heaving forces of the soil on the pile. A casing pipe is driven in and then the pile is inserted into it, while installing rigid elements on the pile shaft by welding. When driving the pile, when a mark indicating a point of installation for a rigid element reaches the top of the casing pipe, a geometric measurement of gaps is made between the casing pipe and the pile. Based on the measurement, rigid elements are sized and welded in pairs on the opposite side in a vertical plane. The operation of placing and welding is then repeated during the pipe inserting.

A method for installing pile foundations for power transmission towers or the like in different types of soil prone to frost heaving provides piles with bearing capacity against horizontal loads, reduced labor content and installation cost, and increased reliability against the impact of frost heaving forces of the soil on the pile. A casing pipe is driven in and then the pile is inserted into it, while installing rigid elements on the pile shaft by welding. When driving the pile, when a mark indicating a point of installation for a rigid element reaches the top of the casing pipe, a geometric measurement of gaps is made between the casing pipe and the pile. Based on the measurement, rigid elements are sized and welded in pairs on the opposite side in a vertical plane. The operation of placing and welding is then repeated during the pipe inserting.

A system for and method of stabilizing slopes and embankments using one or more soil load transfer elements are disclosed. The present subject matter provides for an efficient method and apparatus for stabilizing shallow landslides and slope instabilities for failing and near-failing soil masses that are underlain by soil materials. The system may include a plurality of load transfer plates affixed to a pile or load transfer section in varying configurations. In one embodiment, one or more upper load transfer plates are preferably used to capture the downslope-moving soil mass and transfer the applied loads to the intermediary pile section. In another embodiment, a plurality of upper load transfer plates can be used to transfer applied loads to a lower pile section.

A system for and method of stabilizing slopes and embankments using one or more soil load transfer elements are disclosed. The present subject matter provides for an efficient method and apparatus for stabilizing shallow landslides and slope instabilities for failing and near-failing soil masses that are underlain by soil materials. The system may include a plurality of load transfer plates affixed to a pile or load transfer section in varying configurations. In one embodiment, one or more upper load transfer plates are preferably used to capture the downslope-moving soil mass and transfer the applied loads to the intermediary pile section. In another embodiment, a plurality of upper load transfer plates can be used to transfer applied loads to a lower pile section.

A one-step sheet pile retaining wall system for embankment widening typically associated with highway widening not requiring temporary shoring. The wall system may provide a front wall face having a plurality of resistance fins perpendicularly extending therefrom. The fin sheet piles first include a brace fin sheet for reducing stresses in the front wall face, then a series of cradle fin sheets terminating at an elevation below the brace fin sheet for accommodating a pipe drainage/utility cradle, and finally a series of predominantly resistance fin sheets terminating at an elevation above the cradle fin sheets. Between the slope of the existing embankment and the higher front wall face may be cementitious flowable backfill for pre-stressing the wall system when fluid and, when set, supporting the aforementioned cradle, from which the remaining construction can build off of while reducing overall earth pressure acting on the wall face upon completion of construction.

A one-step sheet pile retaining wall system for embankment widening typically associated with highway widening not requiring temporary shoring. The wall system may provide a front wall face having a plurality of resistance fins perpendicularly extending therefrom. The fin sheet piles first include a brace fin sheet for reducing stresses in the front wall face, then a series of cradle fin sheets terminating at an elevation below the brace fin sheet for accommodating a pipe drainage/utility cradle, and finally a series of predominantly resistance fin sheets terminating at an elevation above the cradle fin sheets. Between the slope of the existing embankment and the higher front wall face may be cementitious flowable backfill for pre-stressing the wall system when fluid and, when set, supporting the aforementioned cradle, from which the remaining construction can build off of while reducing overall earth pressure acting on the wall face upon completion of construction.

A percussion device that includes: an input side; an output side; at least one drive transmitter; a drive transmitter pathway; a percussion impactor; and a percussion anvil; where: the drive transmitter pathway is a circumferential pathway around a longitudinal axis of the percussion device; the drive transmitter pathway includes at least one tooth section including a lift section and a lead section; the at least one tooth section is essentially one wavelength of a sawtooth wave; the lift section is inclined away from a base of the drive transmitter pathway; the lead section is a section of the tooth section which abruptly returns to the base of the drive transmitter pathway; the input side is rotationally isolated from the percussion impactor; the percussion anvil is attached to, or forms part of, the output side; the percussion impactor includes an impact end and a force input end which are longitudinally opposite terminal ends of the percussion impactor; and the impact end faces the percussion anvil; such that: when in use, and the output section is free to rotate, the at least one drive transmitter and the drive transmitter pathway are configured to act co? operatively to transfer the rotational motion of the input side to the output side; and when in use and limited or no rotation of the output side is possible, the at least one drive transmitter and the drive transmitter pathway are configured to act co-operatively to increase, maintain or decrease the distance between the percussion impactor and the percussion anvil; wherein the at least one drive transmitter and the drive transmitter pathway are configured to act co-operatively to accept rotational motion from the input side and transmit a percussive and/or rotational motion to the output side.