Emeca-pile joint manual

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Sisllys 1 General ....................................................................................................................... 2

1.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 2

1.2 Emeca Oy ........................................................................................................................... 2

2 Pile joint ...................................................................................................................... 3

2.1 Purpose of use ................................................................................................................... 3

2.2 Function principle.............................................................................................................. 4

3 Design and manufacturing ......................................................................................... 5

3.1 Standards .......................................................................................................................... 5

3.2 Manufacturing ................................................................................................................... 5

3.3 Quality control .................................................................................................................. 6

3.4 Markings ............................................................................................................................ 6

4 Casting instructions .................................................................................................... 8

4.1 Casting ............................................................................................................................... 8

4.2 Casting guide for pile joint ................................................................................................ 9

4.3 Casting mold for pile head .............................................................................................. 10

4.4 Crack ring ......................................................................................................................... 11

4.5 Demolding ....................................................................................................................... 11

5 Piling and jointing ..................................................................................................... 12

5.1 Driving plates ................................................................................................................... 13

5.2 Emeca X-Press locking pin press ..................................................................................... 14

5.3 Measuring perpendicularity of the pile top and pile joint .............................................. 14

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1 General

1.1 Introduction

Designing and production principles as well as casting and user instructions are

presented in this manual. In user instructions also includes general facts about pile

joints and other piling products. Pile joint features and capacities are described in the

documents made for different pile joint types.

1.2 Emeca Oy

Emeca Oy is a finnish family company that manufactures piling components. Company

is founded in 2001. Main products are pile joints and rock points for reinforced

concrete piles. Our product range also includes various piling components and tools for

both casting and for assembly.

The products are manufactured in a highly automated workshop in Kyli where the

companys entire professional staff works. Alongside production manufacturing we

participate often in design collaboration with customers. Besides standard products we

deliver products that are customer specific designed for various working conditions

and environments.

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2 Pile joint

Picture 1. Pile joint

2.1 Purpose of use

Pile joints are needed when it is not possible to cast or transport reinforced concrete

piles of the length reguired. In practice reinforced concrete piles are often joined.

Reinforced concrete pile that exceeds 15m is almost always joined at working site.

With Emeca pile joint joining in the working site can be done quickly and with high

quality.

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2.2 Function principle

Pile joint is designed so that it transmits all loads which are subjected to the pile from

pile section to the other without impairing the capacity of the pile. Function principle

of pile joint must also be simple and reliable.

All parts of the pile joint are welded together in pile joint factory. In pile factory pile

joint is put in the mold together with the pile reinforcement. Concrete anchors pile

joint to the reinforcing steel and forms a reliable connection. In the work site pile

sections are joined together by hammering locking pins to locks of the pile joint. This

provides simple and easily lockable joint which reliably transfers all normal forces and

moment forces from pile section to another.

Picture 2. pile joint connectors

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3 Design and manufacturing

3.1 Standards

Emeca-pile joints are designed and manufactured in accordance with valid standards

and regulations.

Standards used in designing:

EN 1992-1-1:2004 Eurocode 2: Design of concrete structures

EN 1993-1-8:2005 Eurocode 3: Design of steel structures

EN 12699:2000 Execution of special geotechnical work; Displacement piles

EN 12794:2005+A1:2007 Precast concrete products, Foundation piles

3.2 Manufacturing

Pile joints are manufactured in highly automated robotic cells managed by professional

trained personnel. Products are manufactured from high grade steel with material

certificate. Locking parts are machined in robotized production cells. Rebars are cut to

proper lengths with form steel cutter. Assembly is made by robotic welding in

automated production cells. Welding is carried out according to standard EN ISO

17660-1:2006 Welding, Welding of reinforcing steel, Part 1: Load-bearing welded

joints.

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3.3 Quality control

Production of pile joints requires constinuous quality control. Material certificate is

required for the materials used in pile joints. Those certificates are filed in archive. The

material of the parts included in products delivered to customer can be tracked if

necessary with the batch numbering. The quality of the robot welded seam is visually

monitored and also by regular tensile tests. Besides own internal quality control

system Emeca has an ongoing quality control contract with VTT Expert Services Oy.

3.4 Markings

All manufactured pile joints have a label like in picture 3. Label indicates:

manufacturer, name and type of the product, product approval, batch number,

product code and manufacturing date.

Picture 3. Product label

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A label like in picture 4 is attached to all pallets. The label shows manufacturer,

product name, product code, specifier, approval, quantity, weight, pallet ID, packing

date and operator.

Picture 4. Pallet labeling

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4 Casting instructions

4.1 Casting

Pile joint is casted simultaneously with the pile in the same mold. In order to achvieve

result that meets the requirements, it is important to ensure that pile joint is straight

and flat against the pile end during casting. Rebars of the pile joint are pushed inside

piles reinforcement. Pile joint is tightened thoroughly to casting guide which ensures

correct positioning of the pile joint during casting. Casting guide is wedged in the mold

to ensure straightness of the casting guide.

Picture 5. Placement of the casting guide

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4.2 Casting guide for pile joint

The easiest and most sensible way to ensure best result is to use Emeca casting guide.

Pile joint is attached to the casting guide which ensures a high-quality final result by

keeping the pile joint in correct position throughout the casting process. There are

various Emeca casting guides for different customer needs. Usually casting guides are

tailor made to fit customers production environment. Some pile joint casting guides

can also be used as casting guide for rock point and pile shoe.

Picture 6. Casting guide for pile joint

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4.3 Casting mold for pile head

Casting mold for pile head is used to ensure desired form of the pile head. Casting

mold for pile head provides bevels in sides of pile head and ensures that the pile top is

flat. The casting surface of the mold should be lubricated with form oil to prevent

concrete sticking to mold surface. If concrete remains in mold it must not be cleared

with hammering because there is a risk that mold surface will be damaged.

Kuva 7. Valuohjain vaurioituu lymisest

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4.4 Crack ring

Emeca produces also crack rings for pile heads. Crack ring is used to ensure that pile

top stands large loads during pile driving without breaking. By using crack ring you can

prevent pile top damages that could lead to rejecting the whole pile. Therefore crack

ring is a cheap insurance for successful piling work. Emeca recommends installing of

crack rings to every pile.

Picture 8. Crack ring for pile top

4.5 Demolding

Jointed pile is lifted from mold by help of lifting hooks integrated to the pile. Be careful

when the pile is lifted out of the mold so that pile end in casting guide is not bruised

and pile remains unharmed.

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5 Piling and jointing

Piling work will be carried out according to local piling instructions. Pile is driven to the

ground by using Emeca driving plate until about a meter of the top of the pile is left

above ground. Then remove pile joints protection plugs and clean the locking parts if

necessary. Then lift the upper pile in a vertical position, clean the pile joint and align it

with the bottom pile. Top pile can be driven lightly before locking pins are attached.

Mount all locking pins and use sledgehammer to hit them inside the pile. Be careful

not to damage the pile when hammering locking pins. Alternately locking pins can be

pressed in with a pressing tool manufactured by Emeca.

Picture 9. Driving plate must be used when driving jointed pile

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5.1 Driving plates

Emeca product range also includes driving plates. It is necessary to use Emeca driving

plate when driving pile with pile joint in top. Driving plates are available in two

different models. Driving plate made of nylon is light but cannot withstand large

number of impact blows. Alsi-driving plate is heavier but can withstand more impacts

and greater loads. Nylon is good choice when lower piles and mid-section piles can be

driven to ground easily and greater impact loads on pile occurs only during final

strikes. When piling in friction soil large impact forces are exposed to lower and mid-

section piles. When driving friction piles Alsi-plate is your choice as it withstands long

lasting loads and the warming it causes better than nylon plate.

Picture 10. Alsi and Nylon driving plates

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5.2 Emeca X-Press locking pin press

Emeca has developped a tool that is used to press locking pins inside a pile. When

using this tool you can forget the traditional hammering of locking pins that always has

a risk of damaging the pile and possibility for accidents. The tool is connected to piling

rigs boom with a wire and it gets power from the hydraulic system of the piling rig.

Picture 11. Locking pin press

5.3 Measuring perpendicularity of the pile top and pile joint

Perpendicularity of pile joint against pile axis is important for the durability and

function of the pile. Measuring of perpendicularity of jointed pile top is described in

Annex E of the standard EN 12794:2005+A1:2007.

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Taulukko 1. Kulmamittalaitteet

Picture 12. Angular measurement device

Picture 13. Dial gauge and allowed measurement of the respective piles

Pile A Length

235x235 225 mm 800 mm

270x270

250x250 240 mm 800 mm

300x300

350x350 340 mm 800 mm

400x400