Today we are sharing a project by Yunnan Construction Co., Ltd. using ICE-28RF resonance-free hammer driving steel foundation piles.

To protect the lake and to better manage the experience of visitors to the scenic Lake Erhai, Dali City launched the Erhai Ecological Corridor Project to build sightseeing platforms around the lake. As the construction area is in the city center, close to residential buildings and adjacent to the Erhai dyke, steel foundations installed by resonance free piling hammers were chosen for the job. The walkaround path is 129 kilometers long, and about 30 tourist posts will be built along it. Currently, 4 rest stations have been designed and constructed, while the remaining rest stops are still in the design phase.

The rest stop’s foundation design uses steel piles (diameter 630mm, wall thickness 13.75mm, length 31 meters) as the foundation pile. Two 13-meter-long steel pile sections are welded together and driven into position; then a self-made soil extractor tool that was clamped by the same vibratory hammer was vibrated into the pile and extracted to remove the top 9-meter soil from inside the steel pile. After the soil had been removed, a 5m long closed bottom steel pile was welded to the top of the first two 13m sections and driven to final depth at 31 meters. The top 5 meters section of the pile was now free of soil. Steel rebar and concrete were poured in to produce a foundation platform. Each tourism rest station needs 40-50 foundation piles on average. The resonance-free hammers can drive 7 piles per day, and the foundation piles of a complete rest station platform can therefore be completed in about a week.

Using steel pipe piles as foundation piles, increases the material cost, but it has the advantage of reducing equipment and material needs, reduced waste, and shortened construction time. As the project consists of many small jobs, the mobility of the construction crew is essential. Using steel foundations instead of in-situ bored concrete foundation piles, eliminated the need of bringing in a rotary drilling rig and managing the excavated soil and bentonite that are part of this building method at each building location. The ICE 28RF used to drive the steel piles can be operated from a mobile truck crane, which is set up much faster than a crawler crane. Using steel foundations requires the shortest preparation time, and thereby construction efficiency is greatly improved. Coupled with the vibro hammer’s minimal interference to the surrounding buildings and foundations, we can truly speak of a green construction method.

The Erhai Ecological Corridor is built between Yangnanxi, Taihe Street, Dali City, and Caicun Wharf, Dali Town. Through the Erhai Lake Ecological Corridor Construction Project, Dali aims to repair and improve the damaged lakeside buffer zone, form a continuous pollution interception zone around the Erhai Lake, and build an ecological monitoring corridor, and pleasant greenway system around the lake in one. The green and ecological Erhai Lake is sure to attract more tourists to visit this beautiful sight!

We hope you enjoyed reading about this steel foundation project. Contact us for other examples of working with steel foundations, our team is ready to take your call!