This blog helps me write http://industrialscenery.blogspot.com/. For example, it contains photo dumps of field trips with some text so that I can search the photos later. It is not intended to be read by others. But if you find photos organized by geography interesting, then enjoy.
Pile driving is an important part of constructing foundations, including bridge piers and bents, and embankment walls. So I'm collecting videos and photos of various designs in action.
Roderick Eyres posted the comment: "What's the biggest, longest, and/or deepest pile or drilled shaft you guys have actually been a part of?" There are lots of interesting answers with information about the driver that would require research on my part. For example: Ryan LopezBay Bridge 10' dia. 3" wall 380'+ driven with a Menck 500 and finished with a Menck 1500
Another diesel being held by a CSX rail crane Paul StCroixDrove a lot of piles in my day esp Alberta with diesel hammer and vibrator hammer. Used drop hammer on the railroad around bridges mostly
Jason Newcomb posted a silent time-lapse of pulling and piling an H-beam. The comments indicate the head vibrates the beam to help the extraction. The Tappan Zee accident (look for pictures of a crumpled red boom) happened while pulling piles. The hydraulic clamps let loose and the boom whiplashed.
George Smith posted
GEOQUIP Orlando, Suppling a GPE D50-32 for a 24" pile job!
Perry Brumm posted At the end of the day, 24 in and 6 to go. She's running as good as I can hope for. The Unit has been very good to me. [I put a yellow rectangle around the weight that rides up and down in the guide. I believe this driver is the original design where two cables are used. One is attached to the top of the guide and holds the whole assembly up. The other is attached to the top of the weight. The crane raises the weight and then lets it drop onto the pile cap. Note the clamshell bucket by the front of the truck and the mechanical boom-inclination meter.]
Eli Rowe posted two photos with the comment: "This was about 5 years ago in Texas." Sean StewartNice looking offshore lead setup, what size hammer is that? Eli RoweNot sure the exact size but when it hit on fuel setting 3 it hit with 750000lbs per sq in. Sean StewartIs that a concrete pile!? Or is it the colors of the images messing with my eyes. Eli RoweConcrete 52in 1000lbs a ft that one was 179ft long.
Dennis Dorton posted two photos with the comment: "4100 ringer with 4100 deries2 tailing 185 foot 96 inch3 inch wall test pile 2000 pounds per foot driving with menck hammer."
Noel SmithYep ! That's my next Rig next month on a Kentucky dam job it will be on a ring on a barge love a 4100!!r
Ryan LopezI been on the deck of that ol' leaner! Good rig in desperate need of a bigger barge under her though.
1
2
Tyler James posted
Trump Tower
[Note that the three cranes in the foreground have attachments to turn augur drills, and the red crane in the background is lowering a caisson pipe into an already drilled hose. I assume the little crane by the river's edge off loads small things like those "white boxes" of of barges.]
Nikki An John posted this photo and a video
R.I work in Milton FL
[Unfortunately, I don't know what "R.I" work is. That is one of the reasons this is in DLD Reference instead of Industrial History.]
Shawn Kennedy posted
60's in Madison Ehis ClementABI TELESCOPIC LEADER BEST AND POWERFUL Jason IrwinSweet pic. Is that 24" Shawn KennedyNah just a 16" Jason IrwinHow much auger? 60'? Doesn't it wobble real bad? Shawn Kennedy63' overall- A three piece auger.... with the bottom 3' being an interchangeable starter..... have to drill in low speed, high speed it wobbles real bad until you get enough in the ground.
Bob van Laar posted three photos with the comment: "Big job at Muiden the Netherlands."
1
2
3
4
Rob McGrady posted
My 1977 Manitowoc 4100W with Birminghammer leads and Junttan hammer.... Bayonne Bridge in the background Ben StalveyReally sucks places like New York ect they won't let you run a old friction 4100 anymoreRob McGradyYeah, still can in jersey.... for nowJeremy BeairdThey can't keep the hydros out of trouble. 4100 conversions in the near future hopefully a great crane needs to keep living.Doug SparkesAmerican crane, Finnish hammer & power-pack, Canadian leads & kicker. Just a model of cooperation lol. Nice setup.
[Some comments about the number of lines that I don't understand.]
Perry Brumm posted
Installing H Beams as part of an underpinning job in Arlington Heights Illinois in 2006. All-American Foundation from Roselle Illinois was the prime contractor. My Unit 1020A with 4500 lb drop hammer.
[I wish the picture was better. I was getting the impression no one still drove piles by dropping a weight over and over onto the top of the pile. It is an interesting factoid that the weight was over 2 ton.]
Perry Brumm posted
Pounding the old school way. Driving HP 10X42 Soldier Beams for a retaining wall. 4500 lb drop hammer! Todd WiseKoering ?Perry BrummYes, a 330 Sprawler. Factory third drum, heavy lift counterweight and swing out outriggers make for a very good small pile machine.David WallerGood looking machine. Most people don’t realize the capability of these smaller machines with a good operator in the seat.Todd Wisenothing like the feeling of friction brakes, can almost smell the clutches !
Sebastien Rheaume commented on the above posting Leo JonesDamn yellow link belt
A video of using a 9000 lb drop hammer because their diesel hammer is broke and waiting for parts. After the hammer hits the pile with a "thunk," the pile rings.
Dennis Gigoux posted
Year :2000 Manteo, NC. ICE model 205S diesel pile hammer 30in concrete pile. Balfor Beaty
Dennis Gigoux posted
Brief job description with equipment Carousel Mall expansion, Syracuse,NY
A video that captures the noise and exhaust with the comment: "Delmag D-19 on an ABI TM-20" When something is that monotonous, pan up and down so that we can see the "big picture" even though it is backlit. (source) The following comment on this posting indicates the ABI TM-20 is the vertical structure holding the hammer and pile and Delmag D-19 is the diesel hammer.
ICE 30S on ABI mast on excavator
Bab Van Laar posted four photos with the comment: "Big toys for big boys."
1
2
3
[I've come to recognized that head as a vibration head. Note the hydraulic hoses that go to it to provide power.]
4
Francisco Van De Minkelis commented on the above posting
It works good for Combinated quai walls , first vibrating tubes with 2 welded sleetpile locks in a template , later hammering the tubes to level and afterwards sheetpiles between the tubes with a vibro ( in the leads) and if necessary hammering the sheets also.
Francisco Van De Minkelis commented on his comment
Example. . .
From my small sampling of photos that I've seen, pile driving seems to be second to windmill farms in terms of causing crane accidents in America.
Sean Stewart posted, cropped
Found in another group. Happened in Tampa Florida today. Apparently the operator was airlifted out with life threatening injuries.
[The comments indicate it was being held with the jaws of a vibro hammer. But there should have been a line from a second hoist wrapped around the pile as a saftey line.]
Adrian Schexnayder posted three images. [The comments indicate the operator did die. And comments about low budgets and tight schedules being no excuse to not have a "safety choker" on the pile.]
1
2
3
The history of pile driving from Vulcan's perspective. Robert MacKennaUsed Vulcan & McKiernan-Terry hammers all my working days in NYC--today seeing the use of hydraulic hammers--principally the Junttan ( from Finland ) Another product we ceded to a foreign country to make to be sent into this Country-- they even produce a fine machine to handle it. (posting)
One of two photos posted by Kerst De Jong
Vergona's 888 in NYC yesterday.
[The yellow thing hold the diesel engine that turns the augur shaft. We can see another section of the 3 or 4 foot shield that will be added. I don't know why there is a fire hose going up the boom.]
Another drop-hammer video. Note at -0:11 that he has to use is left leg also. Sean StewartGroup Admin1964 American 595BC, doesn't get much older than this machine! Still going strong. David StarkeyDrove many a pile with one of those,got the knees to prove it..lol
Brad Scott commented on Sean's posting
Drop hammer is what I learned on and this old girl. 70’s model 318 link belt!!! Driver batter pipe for mooring piles.
[Comments indicate that you could drop from 10' high. But higher is not always faster because of the slower cycle time.]
TransMoutain
Innovative Shrouds will Reduce Pile Driving Noise
