Pile and System for Repairing a Foundation

Abstract

A pile segment for building supports to level foundations, e.g., slabs, has a generally cylindrical body made of concrete, the outer vertical surface of the cylindrical body being comprised of alternating spaced crests and troughs.

Claims

1. A pile segment comprising: a generally cylindrical concrete body having a first end, a second end, and a generally vertical, annular outer surface between said first and second ends, said outer surface comprising vertically extending, circumferentially spaced cogs defining vertically extending, circumferentially spaced, alternating crests and troughs, the vertical surface having an area of from about 250 to about 350 in.sup.2.

2. The pile segment of claim 1, wherein said crests have radially outwardly facing surfaces, the cumulative area of said radially outwardly facing surfaces being from about 30% to about 70% of the vertical surface area of said body.

3. The pile segment of claim 1, wherein the body has a weight of at least about 24 lbs.

4. The pile segment of claim 3, wherein the body has a weight of about 26 lbs. to 30 lbs.

5. The pile segment of claim 1, wherein the surface of the crests lie in the surface of a first imaginary cylinder circumscribing said crest surface and said troughs have radially inner surfaces which lie in the surface of a second imaginary cylinder circumscribing said trough surface, said first and second imaginary cylinders being concentric, said first imaginary cylinder having a greater diameter than said second imaginary cylinder.

6. The pile segment of claim 1, wherein said cogs are equally circumferentially spaced.

7. The pile segment of claim 1, wherein said body has a diameter as measured from a first crest surface to a second crest surface 180° displaced from said first crest surface of from about 5.0 to about 7.0 inches.

8. The pile segment of claim 7, wherein said diameter is from about 5.5 to about 7.0 inches.

9. The pile segment of claim 1, wherein each crest surface forms an arc having a circumferential length of from about 0.25 to about 1.0 inches.

10. The pile segment of claim 9, wherein said arc has a circumferential length of from about 0.25 to about 0.7 inches.

11. The pile segment of claim 1, wherein the troughs have radiused surfaces having a radius of from about 0.1 to about 0.25 inches.

12. The pile segment of claim 1, wherein the distance between adjacent crest surfaces is from about 0.25 to about 1.0 inches.

13. The pile segment of claim 12, wherein the distance is from about 0.25 to about 0.75 inches.

14. The pile segment of claim 1, wherein said body has a height of from about 8.0 to about 14.0 inches.

15. The pile segment of claim 14, wherein said height is from about 9.0 to about 13.0 inches.

16. The pile segment of claim 2, wherein the distance between the crest surface and the innermost surface of the radiused trough is from about 0.063 to about 0.25 inches.

17. The pile segment of claim 16, wherein the distance between the crest surface and the innermost surface of the radiused trough is from about 0.1 to about 0.035 inches.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pile segment according to one aspect of the present invention.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the pile segment shown in FIG. 1.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the pile segment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] The terms “pile segment” and “pile” refer to a single concrete body which can be used to form a stack of said segments to form a support or piling. Referring to the figures, the pile segment of the present invention shown generally as 10 and referred to sometimes herein as a pillar pile comprises a generally cylindrical concrete body 12 having a first, top planar end surface 14, an axially spaced corresponding second, bottom end surface (not shown) and has a generally vertical, radially outwardly facing annularly extending surface between first end surface 14 and the second end surface. In general and as can be seen from the drawings, the body 12 is fluted much in the style of a Corinthian column, and in this regard has vertically extending, circumferentially spaced cogs 15 defining vertically extending and circumferentially spaced alternating crests 16 and troughs 18, the radially outwardly facing surfaces 20 of the crests 16 lying in the outer surface of a first imaginary cylinder circumscribing the crest surfaces 20. In one preferred embodiment, the cogs 15 are equally, circumferentially spaced.

[0016] The troughs 18 between the crests 16 have radiused inner surfaces 22, the radially innermost portion of surfaces 22 lying in the outer surface of a second imaginary cylinder tangential to such innermost portion of surface 22. Thus, the first and second imaginary cylinders are concentric, with the first imaginary cylinder having a greater diameter than the second imaginary cylinder.

[0017] As best seen in FIG. 3 crest surfaces 16 and trough surfaces 22 are connected by flanks 24 and 26.

[0018] As can be seen by reference to FIG. 3, the body 12 of the pillar pile 10 of the present invention has the following dimensional parameters, all measured in inches: [0019] D—the diameter measured from a first crest surface to another crest surface 180° displaced from the first crest surface [0020] W—the circumferential length of the arc forming the crest surface [0021] R—the radius of the radiused innermost surface portion of the trough [0022] A—the linear distance between adjacent crest surfaces [0023] B—the distance between the crest surface and the innermost portion of the radiused surface forming a portion of the trough [0024] H—the height of body 12

[0025] With respect to the above parameters, D can range from about 5.0 to about 8.0 inches, particularly from about 5.5 to about 7.0 inches. W can range from about 0.25 to about 1.0 inches, particularly from about 0.25 to about 0.7 inches. R can range from about 0.1 to about 0.25 inches. A can range from about 0.25 to about 1.0 inches, particularly from about 0.25 to about 0.75 inches. B can range from about 0.063 to about 0.25 inches, particularly from about 0.1 to about 0.035 inches. H can range from about 8.0 to about 14.0 inches, particularly from about 9.0 to about 13.0 inches.

[0026] The weight of a pillar pile 10 according to the present invention is at least about 24.0 lbs., more generally about 26 lbs. or greater, e.g., up to 30 lbs.

[0027] The total vertical surface area of a prior art nominal 6 inch by 12 inch pile segment is approximately 217 in.sup.2. This is to be contrasted with a pillar pile 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention wherein within the numerical limits of the parameters set out about above, the total vertical surface area is from about 250 to about 350 in.sup.2. Thus, the total vertical surface area of one embodiment of the pillar pile of the present invention is about 27% greater than a prior art pile segment having a smooth outer vertical surface.

[0028] This increased vertical surface area increases holding friction between the pillar pile 10 of the present invention and the surrounding earth once the pillar pile stack has been driven to the desired depth. Furthermore, because of the unique design of the pillar pile 10 of the present invention, wherein the vertical surface is comprised of alternating troughs and crests, the skin friction is reduced during driving.

[0029] While the invention has been described with respect to the crest surfaces and trough surfaces being radiused, it is to be understood that other shapes can be used. For example, the troughs could be partially hexagonal, square, triangular or other such geometric shapes as viewed in cross-section. Further, the crest surfaces could be straight when viewed in cross-section.

[0030] Pillar pile 10 of the present invention provides a structure which retains the mass sufficient to bear the load from the pressure/force applied during installation, while at the same time minimizing skin friction. In this regard, the portion of the total vertical surface area which contributes to skin friction is the cumulative area of the crest surfaces which in one embodiment of the present invention can range from 30% to 70% of the total vertical surface area.

[0031] U.S. Pat. No. 9,022,694 ('694 Patent) is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. With respect to the system disclosed in the '694 Patent, the system and method disclosed therein can incorporate the pillar piles of the present invention.

[0032] Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein in some detail, this has been done solely for the purposes of explaining the various aspects of the invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as defined in the claims which follow. Those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment shown and described is exemplary, and various other substitutions, alterations and modifications, including but not limited to those design alternatives specifically discussed herein, may be made in the practice of the invention without departing from its scope.