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 pile is comprised of a pipe, i.e., a hollow tube or hollow cylinder, with a coextensive internal reinforcement comprised of a plurality of intersecting walls. The pile is comprised of a blend of a thermoplastic and 20 to 50% (pbw) pelletized chopped strand glass fibers. The outer surface includes a co-extruded cap stock that is relatively smooth and exhibits a relatively low coefficient of friction. The internal structures exhibit roughness, bumpiness and a relatively high coefficient of friction for an extruded plastic. A groove may be formed in the pile adjacent to an end for resistance to uplift.

A pile system for support structures includes at least two piles each having a first end, a second end, and a cylindrical elongate body. Each cylindrical elongate body has an inner surface and an outer surface, extends from the first end toward the second end, and defines an internal cavity with a longitudinal axis. Each pile further includes a transition region between the elongate body and the second end, the transition region including an annular seating shoulder disposed on the inner surface of the cylindrical elongate body that defines a step increase from a primary inner diameter to a secondary inner diameter. The first end of a first pile of the at least two piles is configured to be inserted into the second end of a second pile until a first distal edge thereof contacts the seating shoulder of the second pile.

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 pile driving method for driving a pile, e.g. a hollow and open ended pile, e.g. a large diameter pile having an outer diameter of at least 5 meters, e.g. a monopile of an offshore wind turbine, into the soil, e.g. into the seabed. Use is made of a pile driving system which comprises a drive head member that is configured to engage the pile, and a solid mass drop weight assembly comprising a support structure and comprising solid drop weight elements supported by said support structure, preferably solid steel drop weight elements being composed of steel elements, e.g. stackable steel elements, which drop weight elements have a total mass of at least 100 tonnes, e.g. more than 500 tonnes, e.g. more than 1000 tonnes, e.g. more than 2000 tonnes, which drop weight assembly is vertically mobile relative to, e.g. above, the drive head member. Further use is made of a lift system that is configured to bring the drop weight assembly into an initial height position relative to the drive head, and a quick release system adapted to effect quick release

In a general aspect, suction anchors are disclosed that include a tubular body formed at least in part of cementitious materials. The tubular body has a closed end, an open end, and a perimeter wall. The perimeter wall defines a shape of the tubular body and is former at least in part of the cementitious materials. The tubular body also includes a channel internal to the perimeter wall defining a spiral around a longitudinal axis of the tubular body. The tubular body additionally includes an edge defining an opening for the open end. The edge is configured to penetrate the underwater floor. The suction anchors also include a post-tensioning device through the channel in a tensioned state and a port configured to fluidly-couple at least part of a cavity within the tubular body to an exterior of the tubular body.

Described is a method for anchoring a hollow tubular element in a water bottom. An upper outer end of the tubular element is first closed substantially airtightly by a closing body. The tubular element with closing body is taken up from a vessel with a lifting means and lowered into the water in a substantially vertical position. Air in the tubular element with closing body is here compressed and the pressure in the tubular element with closing body increases. The weight of the tubular element with closing body suspended from the lifting means is then adjusted by allowing the air to escape at least partially and/or suctioning the air away at least partially to below atmospheric pressure. The pressure in the tubular element with closing body decreases and the tubular element with closing body penetrates into the water bottom under the weight. Finally, the closing body is removed and the tubular element is optionally driven further into the water bottom with a pile-driving means.

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.

A method for installing a tubular metal pile in a rocky ground, successively comprises the steps of drilling the rocky ground in order to form a cavity of predetermined diameter and depth, filling the cavity with a granular material, arranging the granular material present in the cavity by vibration, and installing the pile in the cavity.

A device for levelling an offshore foundation construction including a cylinder equipped with a fastening member for removably fastening the cylinder to a part of the offshore foundation construction, a rod mobile in axial translation with respect to the cylinder, the rod including a pushing end so configured to push against a mudmat.