Piling foundations are extremely important when building a property, they act as legs to provide structure and strength throughout the building. But how are piles made? Well today we will be looking at the different types of Percussion Drivers that are used when constructing piles.
Percussion Drivers
These are a type of hammer that are designed to deliver a huge blow to the top of the pile. The type of pile and subsoil will decide what hammer is used, as there are different weights and drop heights needed with piles. They use a steel helmet which is padded with a sand bed and cushioned with a plastic or hardwood block, which protects the pile from damage.
A drop Hammer is a block of iron which is dropped from a rig attached and suspended by rope. The weight can differ from 0.75-3 tonnes! The number of blows can be delivered from 1.2-1.5 meters and range from 10-20 per minute.
Air Hammers use compressed air and are single acting or double acting. The single acting hammers are semi- automatic and consist of a heavy falling cylinder sliding up and down on a fixed piston, which is raised by steam or compressed air. The hammer is suspended by a crane and guided by leaders to keep position relative to the pile head. The blows delivered can range from 36-75 per minute!
Diesel Hammers are self-contained units which are suspended from a crane or slide in leaders rested on the pile head. The force is created by a falling cylinder of steel, raised by an explosion of gas from the automatic injection of fuel. This continues until the fuel is cut off. The Hammer weighs from 2 – 6 tones and delivers 40 – 60 blows per minute.
There you have it. All of the percussion drivers that can be used when piling! Piling is an extremely important foundation of building a house, that is why it is so important to make sure it is done properly. Make sure to hire someone who know what they are doing and have experience. Here at Rhino Piling, we offer amazing mini piling services and have extensive experience amongst our expert team. Get in touch today for a full on-site evaluation!
