The disclosure is related to a method for forming structures in a liquid, preferably underwater using a flowing, settable material, wherein the material used has a density which is substantially equal to the density of the liquid in which the structure is formed as well as a system for such method and structures formed.

A method of forming a foundation in the ground, comprising the steps of—forming a foot (11) in the ground (100); —forming a column (12) made from a load bearing material in the ground (100) on top of the foot (11); and —forming a pile (13) in the material column (12) such that the pile (13) extends down to the material foot (11) or into the material foot (11).

Embodiments described herein relate to construction of subsurface structural elements that are configured to redirect soil forces. For instance, a form may be used to construct a subsurface structural element such that the subsurface structural element redirects soil forces to vertically displace a foundation rather than have the soil forces crack or otherwise damage the foundation.

A gravity based foundation for an offshore installation includes a caisson of concrete and a hollow shaft. The caisson has a bottom slab, a roof and a side wall extending between the bottom slab and the roof. The roof having a passage for the shaft into the caisson. The shaft support has embedded tensioning bars vertically projecting from the upper side of the shaft support. The shaft is mounted on the shaft support by the tensioning bars. A method of manufacturing includes providing a concrete bottom slab, arranging a full-length formwork onto the bottom slab, arranging a slip formwork onto the bottom slab, providing the tensioning bars and mounting the tensioning bars in a fixed position to the full-length formwork, and concrete pouring of the sidewall and shaft support while raising the slip formwork.

A method of constructing an underwater concrete block structure includes assembling a plurality of concrete blocks into a concrete block assembly, forming a drilled borehole in the underwater ground under a concrete hole of the concrete block assembly, and forming a concrete column in the concrete hole and the drilled borehole, thereby greatly increasing the stability of the underwater concrete block structure.

A method of constructing a building is disclosed, including selecting a standard dimension less than a wide-load trucking permit limit and designing a building on a grid defined by the selected standard dimension. The building includes a plurality of prefabricated elements, wherein each prefabricated element has a width correspond to the selected standard dimension. The plurality of prefabricated elements includes a wall panel, a roof panel, a laterally resistive frame, and a rebar cage. The method includes fabricating each of the plurality of prefabricated elements at a manufacturing plant and transporting the elements by truck to a building site. The method includes constructing intersecting grade beam footings at the building site and pouring a slab between the intersecting grade beam footings. The grade beam footings include the rebar cage and have a uniform width and depth, the grade beam footings and the slab having contiguous upper surfaces.

Soil-displacement drill (1) for soil-displacing drilling in a surface (10) in order to form a foundation pile (2), comprising a drill pipe (3), a drill head (4) at an end of the drill pipe (3) with several flap leaves (5) which are pivotable between a closed position for closing off the end of the drill pipe (3) and an open position for making this end freely accessible and one or several closing elements (6) to keep these flap leaves (5) in their closed position and prevent pivoting of the flap leaves (5) which are configured to fail during drilling into the surface (10) in such a way that these closing elements (6) do not impede pivoting of the flap leaves (5). In addition, the present invention relates to an assembly of a drill head (4) and one or several closing elements (6) for such a soil-displacement drill (1), a method for soil-displacing drilling and a method for converting a soil-displacement drill (1) to form such a soil-displacement drill (1).

A method of rehabbing reinforced concrete pilings while in service and without the requirement to demo or otherwise gain access over the ends of an existing column. Design adopts modern environmentally responsible fiber reinforced polymer rebar and other FRP stirrups uniquely shaped into spiral sections requiring only side access for placement, designed to permanently encase the piling with a totally non-rusting non-metal reinforcement lateral containment cage featuring preformed circumference stirrups that mechanically interlock vertically and lateral adjustability to control density. The spiral stirrups extending fully 360-degrees around an existing piling with an additional overlap of at least 45 degrees.

Embodiments described herein relate to construction of subsurface structural elements that are configured to redirect soil forces. For instance, a form may be used to construct a subsurface structural element such that the subsurface structural element redirects soil forces to vertically displace a foundation rather than have the soil forces crack or otherwise damage the foundation.

Systems and methods to provide pressed aggregate-filled cavities for improving ground stiffness and uniformity are disclosed. According to an aspect, a method includes using a mechanism to press into a ground surface in a substantially downward direction to create a concavity. The method also includes substantially or completely filling the concavity with unstabilized or chemically stabilized aggregate, soil, or sand. Further, the method includes using the mechanism to press the aggregate within the concavity to achieve a desired ground stiffness.