Underpinning the Situation
Underpinning is the method that is used to make the foundation of a building or structure stable. This process is carried out when a new building is being constructed, an existing building is being changed or the supporting soil has undergone changes. This could be due to the roots of trees growing and disrupting the foundations. If a nearby building has lower foundations then surrounding structures may need to be lowered to ensure its stability. Foundations may also be widened in certain situation to make them more supportive.
Underpinning is skilled work and must always be carried out and/or supervised by a qualified engineer. It is important to follow health and safety guidelines as it can be dangerous work. There are different types of underpinning available. Beam and base underpinning involves the construction of a concrete beam above or to replace an existing footing. The beam then transfers the weight of the structure to concrete bases.
The option of mini-piled underpinning is suitable for when foundation loads require to be transferred to stable soils at depths of more than 5.0 metres. The mini-piles can be either augured or driven steel cased and implemented using specially designed rigs.
A Brief History of Pile Driving Equipment
The process of creating solid foundations on which to build stable structures has been around for many years. However, over time, as technology has become more and more advanced and pile driving equipment has evolved to become what it is today. Construction engineers are always using their high level of expertise to make improvements to equipment and processes.
Pile driving was originally done by workers using their own strength to force piles into the ground. This would take some effort! During the 19th century, steam pile drivers helped to take some of the strain of pile driving through the use of energy transfer. The build up of pressurised steam would force the pile into the ground. This led to the use of diesel hammers which used energy from burning fuel.
It was not until buildings began to need rebuilding, did the realisation become apparent that it was extremely difficult to remove piles which had been embedded into the ground. (At least we know it had been done properly!) Enter the vibratory pile driver/extractor. The vibrations loosen the pile and reduce the friction between the pile and surrounding soil.
Strengthen the foundations with a Retaining Wall
A retaining wall is constructed on sloping ground in order to create a stable structure and prevent the erosion and movement of the soil. The retaining wall will balance out lateral pressures that occur from the ground sloping. Seepage holes within the structure allow any ground water that has accumulated to escape, which makes the wall more stable by releasing water pressure.
Retaining walls can be made from a number of different materials. Concrete and stone are popular choices as well as special retaining wall blocks that are made from aggregate materials (sand and gravel) and light concrete. Some types of retaining wall blocks are interlocking, which means that they do not require mortar to be secured together.
Retaining wall blocks are a reliable and affordable option when stabilising a sloped area of ground. Creating a level surface is key to ensuring lasting stability. Each layer of retaining wall blocks needs to be backfilled with sand, stone, gravel or leftover soil, to bulk out the structure and also to allow water to drain out. Now your retaining wall will do its job.
A building without foundation piling is soon demolished
That Chinese proverb may have been slightly altered for the sake of this blog, but it rings true. Foundation piling is what gives a vertical structure its stability and without it, the construction industry would be entirely different. The construction of buildings requires extensive planning, materials and expertise. Great architecture is generally appreciated by people; however, the unseen structural components remain unseen and therefore unacknowledged. Compared to residential projects, commercial buildings require more foundation piling work as the structures tend to be on a much larger scale. In fact, they are more often than not, a structure in themselves.
This requires construction workers with extensive knowledge and experience relating to foundation piling. These buildings need to be constructed to last indefinitely so must be designed to bear an enormous weight. Before foundation piling work begins, a Geotechnical engineer will analyse the area where the structure will be built. If ground conditions are poor, then the foundations will need to be laid deep into the ground.
Even with all planning avenues explored, there can often be unforeseen issues after foundation piling work has begun. This is when construction workers will need to use their extensive piling knowledge in order to find solutions to these problems.
Amendments to the Piling Rig Certification intend to avoid construction accidents
Accidents at work are never exactly a cause for celebration but accidents which occur on construction sites can be particularly serious, with fatalities not being unheard of. Not only do such incidents cause emotional stress and anxiety for those who work for the company, but they also have a detrimental effect on the company’s bank balance. Construction businesses who experience serious accidents will incur heavy fines.
In order to avoid accidents, such as the collapse of a piling rig, there have been revisions made to the platform certificate, which is an integral part of ensuring the stability of a piling rig. Although getting a certificate is not mandatory, it is now considered industry best practice. It is not the end of the responsibility of the contractor however, as the construction site needs to be constantly monitored to ensure ongoing safety of the workers. The ground does not always stay in the same condition during a project so if there is evidence of any changes to the stability of a piling rig, work should be stopped immediately and the situation assessed before work continues.
House Builders Association dispute Rise in Planning Application Fees
The government has been met with opposition from the House Builders Association (HBA) over the proposal to increase planning application fees for new construction projects. The HBA has queried the fact that initial measures are not being put in place by local authorities to reduce costs before fees are increases. The priority is supposedly to cut costs but this is not reflected in this new proposal.
The HBA fear that because some local authorities already profit from their planning service, charging others who are inefficient can only result in nurturing a culture of laziness and complacency which is unacceptable, particularly in today’s climate.
The HBA have put forward some recommendations as an alternative to the planning application fees proposal. Firstly, before they can even consider raising fees, local authorities must be forced to reduce costs. “Free riders” should be obligated to pay any further fees that are outside the remit of construction workers. Finally, under no circumstances should fees be increased for house building applications made for two or more homes.
The HBA stress that the government should rethink the proposal as they have already acknowledged that the cost of planning and many other factors are a heavy burden on house builders. The government need to prove that they really are committed to reducing regulation costs, as that is what they promote.
Scottish Construction Jobs under threat
Dire warnings regarding Scotland’s construction industry have been released which speculate that 11,000 jobs could be cut in 2011. The losses are expected to be due to construction workloads flagging next year which could see industry output decrease by over £600m.
The survey chronicling this data was carried out by The Scottish Building Federation (SBF). The statistics show that nearly two thirds of those who contributed to the survey are expecting to be forced to reduce their staff numbers. I measly 5%think that they will be able to increase their workforce.
These revelations come after a slight recovery for the construction industry during 2010; a recovery which is deemed to reverse. Michael Levack, chief executive for SBF has remarked that:
“Overall, as 2010 draws to a close, I think the mood amongst construction firms is very apprehensive. With the value of new orders apparently shrinking, with Scotland’s public capital budget facing a cut of more than 20% next year, and with many other sectors of the industry – not least house building and commercial – continuing to struggle, our members are bracing themselves for tough times ahead.”
He also advised that MSP’s should take “careful heed” of the information and take it into consideration for the coming negotiations for next year’s Scottish budget.
£3bn saving with the Construction Industry
Infrastructure UK has outlined improvements that could be made to increase efficiency and ultimately reduce building and infrastructure maintenance costs by 15%. The new initiative will involve the government and the construction industry developing a much more intimate working relationship.
The plan covers different areas including procurement improvements, increasing productivity, making process more efficient and encouraging fresh approaches to construction.
Investigation steering group chairman Terry Hill said: “Evidence from the investigation suggests a high degree of consensus that efficiency improvements can be achieved and that the infrastructure construction industry will respond positively to client side improvements in planning, commissioning and procurement of projects and programmes.”
It has been estimated that implementing the new plan could result in saving £3bn a year on civil engineering. There are currently unnecessary standards in place which hinder workflow and there is also a lack of data which results in difficulty over making investment decisions and setting targets for the future.
Grundomat & The Grundomat Mole
Filed under: Grundomat Driven Piles, Mini Piling, Services, Top Driven Piles, Uncategorized
Grundomat are one of the better known brands within the piling industry. With many pile driving and underpinning products, they are popular throughout our industry.
The Grundomat Mole is a technical soil displacement hammer, ideal for use in almost any type of soil. With the ability to bore through up to 50 metres and successfully displace obstructions they encounter, they’re ideal for installing of underground services such as underpinning and piles. Available in sizes including 45mm, 55mm and 65mm diameters, they’re not only useful but essential products.
A key component in trenchless moling technology, the Grundomat Mole is quoted as saving time, cost and minimising disruption in residential and commercial locations where life and business needs to continue as smoothly as possible.
Construction Industry is bouncing back at a slower rate
The construction industry is still making a recovery but progress began slowing down again in November, compared to during the summer. Policymakers will be concerned with the news that employment rates are still declining. In the summer months the employment sector was considered to be the solution to jobs being lost in the public sector when the funds are cut.
Sarah Ledger, economist at Markit and author of the figures asserted that, “While mild growth of the UK construction sector was reported in November, PMI data signalled that operating conditions remained challenging. New contract wins were restricted by lengthy negotiation periods and deferred spending by clients. Furthermore, jobs were cut again, indicating that constructors see little need to maintain current capacity. Expectations for business activity over the coming year did rise in the month, although confidence remained below pre-recession levels.”
The economy will be unable to rely on the construction industry to being the saviour of the recession in the UK. The boost in construction during the second and third quarters was due to special factors which are no longer influential. However, there are certain projects in Greater London which are having a positive effect on the construction industry so it’s not all doom and gloom.