General guidance only — all construction work must be overseen by a supervising engineer This handbook is compiled from standards and laws with every source cited, andis being reviewed for certification by engineers Use it to know what to look at, what to ask and what evidence to request on site It is not an engineering determination and can't replace an engineer · Terms of use · Limitations of the handbook

Piles and foundations

Pile rig, hammer and helmet — the wrong tools mean wrong work from the start

Page code P02-02 · 10 inspection criteria · 1 illustrations

A hammer that is too light won't really drive the pile down, but it makes the recorded figures look as if the pile has reached refusal when it hasn't reached the hard stratum yet, and a helmet that doesn't fit will crack the head of every pile. The standards set figures clear enough for you to check yourself

This page contains
How heavy must the hammer be
The steel helmet over the pile head and the cushion
The pile guide, and when to order a stop
Common mistakes

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