Foundation pile, a grouting method for the said pile and a manufacturing method therefor

Abstract

A foundation pile comprising a longitudinal through hole (1) and a plurality of crosswise through holes (2) transverse to longitudinal through hole (1) extending between longitudinal through hole (1) and the outer surface of the pile and optionally further comprising check valves positioned in the crosswise through holes (2), configured such that the crosswise through holes (2) and the check valves allow one-way communication from the inside of the pile to the outside of the pile from longitudinal through hole (1) to the outer side surfaces of the pile.

Claims

1. A driven foundation pile configured to be driven in soil by displacing the soil, the driven pile comprising: a shaft made of precast concrete; a longitudinal through hole formed through the shaft, the longitudinal through hole being a continuous axial through hole through an entire length of the pile; and a plurality of crosswise through holes formed through the shaft, each of the crosswise through holes oriented transverse to the longitudinal through hole and extending between the longitudinal through hole and an outer surface of the shaft, the crosswise through holes being configured to allow cement grouts and mortar to be injected flush with the outer surface of the shaft from the plurality of crosswise through holes to grout between the lateral surface of the pile and the surrounding displaced soil, wherein the pile is configured to regulate grout and mortar emanating from the crosswise through holes before, during, and after a driving operation, the longitudinal through hole being configured to allow the cement grouts and mortar to flow out of both ends of the longitudinal through hole when the cement grouts and mortar are injected to grout the lateral surface of the pile, wherein the crosswise through holes comprise check valves configured such that the crosswise through holes and the check valves allow one-way communication from the inside of the pile to the outside of the pile from the longitudinal through hole to the outer side surfaces of the shaft.

2. The foundation pile according to claim 1, wherein the crosswise through holes are grouped in a plurality of cross-sections, each one of the cross-sections being transverse to the longitudinal through hole, each one of the cross-sections comprising a group of the crosswise through holes arranged in different directions.

3. The foundation pile according to claim 2, wherein for each cross-section, the group of crosswise through holes comprises four crosswise through holes in which each crosswise through hole in the group is arranged in a direction that differs from that of the other crosswise through holes in the group.

4. The foundation pile according to claim 1, wherein the pile is divided longitudinally into sections that can be coupled together.

5. A method of grouting a driven foundation pile configured to be driven in soil by displacing the soil, the driven pile having a shaft made of precast concrete, the method comprising: sinking the pile by pile driving, injecting a grouting material through a longitudinal through hole in the shaft and the grouting material subsequently expands through a plurality of crosswise through holes, the crosswise through holes transverse to the longitudinal through hole and extending between the longitudinal through hole and an outer surface of the shaft, such that the grouting material spreads from the shaft through the crosswise through holes, the crosswise through holes allowing the grouting material to be injected flush with the outer surface of the shaft from the plurality of crosswise through holes to grout between the lateral surface of the pile and the surrounding displaced soil, wherein the pile is configured to regulate grout and mortar emanating from the crosswise through holes before, during, and after a driving operation, the longitudinal through hole being a continuous axial through hole through an entire length of the pile, the longitudinal through hole allowing the cement grouts and mortar to flow out of both ends of the longitudinal through hole when the cement grouts and mortar are injected to grout the lateral surface of the pile, wherein the crosswise through holes comprise check valves configured such that the crosswise through holes and the check valves allow one-way communication from the inside of the pile to the outside of the pile from the longitudinal through hole to the outer side surfaces of the shaft.

6. A method of manufacturing a driven foundation pile made of precast concrete configured to be driven in soil by displacing the soil, the method comprising the following steps: placing a longitudinal tube in position, the longitudinal tube being a continuous axial tube through an entire length of the pile, placing a plurality of crosswise tubes in position transverse to the longitudinal tube, whereby the longitudinal tube and the crosswise tubes are in communication, the crosswise tubes being configured to allow cement grouts and mortar to be injected flush with the outer surface of the shaft from the plurality of crosswise through holes to grout between the lateral surface of the driven pile and the surrounding displaced soil, wherein the pile is configured to regulate grout and mortar emanating from the crosswise through holes before, during, and after a driving operation, the longitudinal tube being configured to allow the cement grouts and mortar to flow out of both ends of the longitudinal tube when the cement grouts and mortar are injected to grout the lateral surface of the pile, and forming a shaft of precast concrete by casting concrete around the longitudinal tube and the plurality of crosswise tubes such that the crosswise tubes extend through the concrete to the outer surface of the concrete, wherein check valves are included in the crosswise tubes before the concrete casting step.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Drawings are provided for a better understanding of the invention and to complement the description. Said drawings are an integral part of the description and illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pile manufactured according to an embodiment of the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of the pile according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a cross-section of the embodiment of the pile according to FIGS. 1 and 2 on grouting the pile shaft using one of the different grout injection systems [sleeve grouting (IU), unitary and global grouting (IGU), repetitive grouting (IR), and repetitive and selective grouting (IRS)].

(5) FIG. 4 is a view similar to that in FIG. 3 but of a longitudinal section of the pile.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) The figures illustrate an embodiment of the invention consisting of a pile divided into longitudinal sections that can be coupled together. The pile comprises a longitudinal through hole (1) and a plurality of crosswise through holes (2) transverse to the longitudinal hole (1) extending between the longitudinal through hole (1) and the outer surface of the pile. Crosswise through holes (2) further comprise check valves configured such that through holes (2) and the check valves permit one-way communication from the inside of the pile to the outside of the pile from longitudinal through hole (1) outwards to the outer side surfaces of the pile.

(7) More specifically, to achieve uniform distribution of the grout (3) and to offset the reaction forces on injecting the grout within a cross-section of the pile, the pile comprises individual crosswise through holes (20, 21) arranged so that they oppose each other. To further improve the said enhanced distribution of the grout (3), the embodiment shown in the figures comprises four holes (20, 21, 22, 23), in two pairs of opposing holes.

(8) This is clearly depicted in FIG. 4, which represents an embodiment of insertion of the grout (3) during injection through the shaft of the pile, such that the grout (3) fills the shaft, thereby enhancing its load-bearing capacity.