Gaining the market’s trust for ICE resonance free vibratory hammer has not been an easy job. Resonance free hammers have been popular in Europe for work close to existing fragile structures for over 20 years, but are still quite a novelty in China. Many contractors have stories to tell of vibration damage to residential properties and the huge compensation sums that have to be awarded to appease residents. Past experience has made them apprehensive to try the vibrating method again. 

Through demonstrations Shanghai ICE has built up over 20 reference projects across china to support our clients in their claim that this ICE hammer really won't damage your property. We have had independent analysis done and have even received approval to work close to Shanghai’s subway line 13. 

When we received a distress call from Hubei we were confident we could help out. The client had 150 sheet piles that needed to be extracted. The 6-9m long piles were driven at a distance of 0.5-1.5 meter of a row of shop houses that had already been shaken up and damaged during installation. The fear was that the excavator mounted hammer that had driven the piles and caused cracks in the buildings during driving, would cause more damage during extraction. The project was halted half completed under protest of the residents.

The client however was not immediately convinced a resonance free vibratory hammer could do the job. After all it is a hammer that generates vibrations, and it just seems illogical that it could solve the problem. Other options such as cutting off the pile or using a jack to pull out the piles were expensive and inefficient, so ICE received an invitation to explain the working principle. The RF hammer succeeds where others fail for two reasons: the first is that the hammer avoids resonance during start-up and shut down, the second is that the hammer runs at a high RPM of 2300 which means the frequent is high and the amplitude small. After we made the analogy with AM/ FM radio the client understood why the technology was worth a try (AM frequency is low and travels far, FM frequency is high and transmits only within a short distance). Another analogy we use is that of a centrifuge, a high speed centrifuge behaves very different from a low speed one. After deliberating and postponing making a decision finally the client decided to call in the 20RF hammer. 

As becomes obvious from the pictures accompanying this story… ICE RF technology is really safe. It allows you to drive and extract sheet piles efficiently while keeping residents happy. The client extracted all remaining 150 sheet piles without further complaints and compensation claims. With RF technology now widely available in China this clears the last obstacle for the use of sheet piles in an urbanized environment.

We see many opportunities for our technology, talk to us today to see how you can be part of the market switch to sheet piles and RF vibrating technology.