Deep Foundation Analysis in Kuopio

20.6.2019

Junttan has been doing PDA-measurements on 2 projects for Niskasen Maansiirto Oy in the Kuopio City Centre. Both job sites have limited space but still over 300 piles per project will be driven into the ground.

To make sure that the driven piles have the desired bearing capacities Niskasen Maansiirto ordered PDA measurements from Junttan. In this dynamic load test, the piles will get hit with single blows using the Junttan hammer on-site and the sensors attached to the pile measure the acceleration and strain transferred to the pile. With our software we can analyze those numbers and calculate the bearing capacity of the piles.

With the PDA tests we cannot only certify the bearing capacity of the piles but we can also detect faulty piles and even help the contractor to adjust the pile length early in the project and save material and money.

The job sites in the Kuopio center have included end bearing piles and friction piles. End bearing piles are driven to the bedrock or a hard soil layer and gain the main bearing capacity from the toe of the pile. Friction piles get at least half of their capacity from the friction between the pile shaft surface and the surrounding soil. Between driving and making the first PDA measures the pile should remain between 1-10 days in the ground. This way the soil will settle around the piles and a more exact bearing capacity can be measured.

For more information:
Teemu Riihimäki
Leading Specialist, Geotechnics and Piling Technologies, Junttan Oy
mob: +358 50 574 7266
email: teemu.riihimaki (a) junttan.com