Extensible shells and related methods for constructing a support pier are disclosed. An extensible shell can define an interior for holding granular construction material and define a first opening at a first end for receiving the granular construction material into the interior and a second opening at a second end. The extensible shell can be flexible such that the shell expands when granular construction material is compacted in the interior of the shell. A method may include positioning the extensible shell in the ground and filling at least a portion of the interior of the shell with the granular construction material. The granular construction material may be compacted in the interior of the extensible shell to form a support pier.

The invention concerns a method for installing a tubular metal pile (28) in a rocky ground, successively comprising drilling the rocky ground (6) in order to form a cavity (14) of predetermined diameter and depth, filling the cavity with a granular material (18), arranging the granular material present in the cavity by vibration, and installing the pile in the cavity.

A system and method for installing an aggregate pier in a soil matrix includes a pipe configured to interface with a torque driver for rotating the pipe. A helix is disposed on the pipe and configured to advance/withdraw the pipe based on direction of rotation. A compacting device is disposed between the distal end of the pipe and the helix. It extends radially outward and upward. In some embodiments, the compacting device is configured as a frustum. A lift in an aggregate pier is formed by rotating the pipe in a second direction to withdraw a portion of the pipe from the soil matrix thereby creating a void; (b) filling the void with aggregate; (c) rotating the pipe in the first direction to advance the pipe. The compacting device contacts the aggregate disposed in the void and imparts an axial and radial force.

Disclosed herein is a soil-displacement drill for soil-displacing drilling in a surface in order to form a foundation pile, comprising a drill pipe, a drill head at an end of the drill pipe with several flap leaves which are pivotable between a closed position for closing off the end of the drill pipe and an open position for making this end freely accessible, and one or several closing elements to keep these flap leaves in their closed position and prevent pivoting of the flap leaves which are configured to fail during drilling into the surface in such a way that these closing elements do not impede pivoting of the flap leaves. Additionally, disclosed herein is an assembly of a drill head and one or several closing elements for such a soil-displacement drill, a method for soil-displacing drilling, and a method for converting a soil-displacement drill to form such a soil-displacement drill.

An expanding anchor and/or pile system wherein an outer shell of the pile/anchor is split lengthwise into at least two pieces and can be placed or driven into a hole in the earth in a retracted state and can subsequently be expanded such that the two or more pieces are forced outwardly—away from one another, thus causing them to exert a lateral force against the sides of the hole and thereby resulting in greater axial load carrying capacity in tension or compression of the anchor/pile.

The foundation system includes a below ground rigid raft foundation to bear a load for an above ground structure, and granular cushions and piles formed below the raft foundation. The granular cushions are configured for uniform load distribution of the raft foundation and the piles are configured to bear a load of the above ground structure and the raft foundation. The foundation system further includes stone columns encapsulated with a non-woven geofabric and configured to stabilize the raft foundation. The raft foundation is disposed adjacent and above the stone columns, the granular cushions are present between neighboring stone columns, and the granular cushions are present between the stone columns and the piles. The stone columns have a cementing agent for stabilization.

A method has the following steps: a) providing an undersea foundation arranged on the bed of a body of water; b) laying a section of pipe and of an in-line structure on the foundation and allowing the section of pipe to freely self-orient on the foundation; c) placing at least one guide on the foundation on both sides of the section of pipe; d) blocking the guide on the foundation to laterally clamp the section of pipe with respect to the foundation, while authorizing a longitudinal movement of the section of pipe with respect to the guide.

Provided is a drilling apparatus, comprising a PHC pipe cased pile having a drilling section for containing fluid and a hammer element arranged inside the cavity of the PHC pipe cased pile which moves along the drilling direction till the bottom of the drilling section. As the hammer element moves along the drilling direction till the bottom of the drilling section, a localized hydraulic force will be induced in the fluid contained in the drilling section of the PHC pipe cased pile by a sharp rise in the fluid pressure in addition to the impact force directly acted on the rock and soil by the hammer element. Under action of the hydraulic force and the impact force, the surrounding soft rock stratum could be crushed and the rock stratum with higher strength is left intact, that is, the drilling apparatus proceeds until harder rock. At this point, concrete casting will bond with the harder rock, resulting in a better bearing capacity of the PHC pipe cased pile foundation.

A coupling device includes male and female couplings having first and second circumferential grooves on surfaces of the respective couplings that face each other when the couplings are fitted together. The coupling device further includes an engaging member. When the male coupling is pushed into the female coupling, the engaging member is retracted into the second groove, allowing the male coupling to be inserted into the female coupling, and when the couplings are fitted together, the engaging member is pushed into the first groove by coil springs so as to be fitted into both of the groove, thereby preventing separation of the male and female couplings in the axial direction. Countersunk head screws support respective divided pieces of the engaging member. Slotted head setscrews are screwed in at boundaries between the adjacent divided pieces to press the divided pieces against the bottom of the first groove.

A cap assembly can include a cap holder device with a plug member and a cap holder. The cap holder device is positionable in an end of a conduit positioned along a roadway. The cap holder is carried by the plug member and includes a magnetic element and a connector. The connector is connectable to the magnetic element to the plug member such that the magnetic element is movable relative to the plug member so as to position the magnetic element for releasably holding a cap that covers the end of the conduit when the plug member is positioned in the conduit. The cap assembly can be a debris cap insertable in a conduit, an end of a pipe, or other opening.