Driving Piles & Sheeting

[LCG777]

I purchased an LTM 1100 to mainly lift culverts and set concrete forms. I'm going to be driving piles with it on Wednesday and Ive never done it before. Anyone know where I can find info on what I can expect from a crane operators stand point. Or if someone who knows the crane and has set piles in it before wants to come out to the job site as an "Advisor" I'm sure we can work something out. Thanks

BrianLucas@Lucascg.com

 

[Ravenworks]

Learning to drive pile and sheeting is not something you do over the internet.

 

[LCG777]

No ****... My intent was to find someone to come out to the sight and give advise.

Jobs already done.

 

[cecil89]

So how did it go. I have only drove pile and sheeting with a lattice boom machine. Man I hate pulling sheeting. It never hurts until they shut down the vibratory. I have had the whole machine feel like it will rattle every bolt out of it

 

[LCG777]

It went well, till we hit a layer of clay which stopped our first hammer. We got a bigger one the following day and it took care of the sheets. The 2 test piles went in with no problems. My crew has driven hundreds of piles and sheets. They were a lot of help in making everything run smooth.

The one problem I saw were the vibrations. You were right, they nearly shook the crane to pieces. I'm going to try and find a shock absorber that can go in between the hammer and block. Any suggestions?

 

[voila]

i'd like to know how driving piles works too, in a detailed manner. maybe someone has an access to a video over somewhere that shows how it works? i saw near my area there's a LS138 putting down pre-cast concrete foundations on a river side : )

hopefully someone will come and shine a light on this.

 

[DisasterDan]

There is not a lot of info out there, and finding an old timer to help? I had similar experience with learning to pile drive using a diesel hammer and Vibe. < Link Belt 238 & 218 >
They had a labor hand running the Vibe controls! I did not like that. Had me driving a "batter" pile with "swinging leads" using the ball connected to the hammer. you know how that worked out. Needless to say I left Skanska, as I felt mine and others safety was in jepordy. 1 month later another contractor dropped a beam in the same fashion I envisioned!
You might try this website and you tube has plenty of vids; http://www.apevibro.com/ver2/default.asp

 

[Dustindlb]

Pile driving is dangerous. I've never seen anyone drive piles with anything without a free fall option... Especially not a liebherr... The soup bowl of south Louisiana causes us to have to drive piles for just about any foundation. I drove piles with a CK1000 kobelco which is hydraulic over friction with a diesel hammer. Basically, the hammer is on one winch, and a second winchline is ran over the leads with nothing but a becket to lift the pile. Two ropes hang from the hammer, one to stop it when pulled, another to activate a latch so the trigger is lifted by the crane. Trigger falls, hammer fires up, and knocks pile down. Hardest part is "belling" the pile. Lift the hammer to the top of the leads and lift the pile vertical and get the top of the pile into the hood.

Sheet pile can be driven by anything... Just gotta be prepared to lose bolts and pins and welds after a while. Any pile driving puts a serious toll on a crane. Hence the safety issues...

 

[cecil89]

Got to love the Batter Pile. I only have done batter pile with people I trust. Had a foreman that I hated. I came uncorked on that stupid a@@@ole. In a batter if they do not look up while you are laying the leads into yourself you will have the biggest failure of your life. This is with swinging leads an battering towards the rig. I have in the past done swing leads and fixed leads. I once saw a 4 inch diameter pin that held the leads up in a fixed leads rig fall to the ground. ( that means there is only one pin holding it up) Ha ha good day that was. I had another cocky young foreman that I worked with thought he knew what he was doing. when I started to refuse to do what he wanted or is work had to be extracted. He didn't last long.I keep telling myself I should keep a journal. (or a diary if I was a girl. LOL )