What Marine Pile Drivers Are Used For

By Michael King


Piles are driven into the ground so that they can offer structures such as houses support using a piece of mechanical equipment called a pile driver. The crew that works with pile-driving rigs may also be referred to using this term. The use of these devices may be in water or on land. When they are use in aquatic settings, they go by the name marine pile drivers.

The invention of this device has been claimed by many sources. However, as early as 1475, there was already a drawing of the device in existence. Several people have received the credit for inventing the device including Leonardo da Vinci, Count Giovan Battista Gazzola, James Valoue, and James Nasmyth.

Even though the named individuals have been credited with the invention, evidence indicates that a comparable device may have been used in constructing the Scottish Loch Tay and Crannogs at Oakbank. These constructions are very old going back over 5000 years. In the United States, the invention of the steam version of the device is credited to someone named Otis Tufts. With such a history, it is hard to tell exactly who the original inventor of the equipment it.

Today, the number of pile drivers in existence are many. Traditionally, weights in this system were lifted using animals and human labor. Pulleys facilitated the process of lifting the weights. Today, advancements in technology have allowed for the development of more effective methods of lifting and guiding weights. Some major types of piling machine in existence today are diesel hammer, hydraulic press-in, vibratory pile driver/extractor, vertical travel lead systems, and hydraulic hammer.

Diesel hammer devices comprises of two-stroke diesel engines. The piston in the device connects to a cylinder. The piston serves as the weight too. When the process begins, the piston is moved up through auxiliary mechanisms. It is then released to hit the piles through quick-release. At this point, diesel will have been ignited to produce the energy needed to return the piston up. This cycle is repeated over and over until diesel runs out or the gadget is powered down.

The vertical travel lead method is usually abbreviated as VTL. It was invented in in the 1970s by someone named Bermingham. Bermingham went ahead to apply for a patent which was granted the same year. This method is suitable for use on level sites that have little obstructions. It was developed to counter the limitations observed in swinging lead or fixed lead systems

The hydraulic hammer is a piling equipment with a short history. It finds use in driving piles made of timber, steel pipe, and precast concrete. The level of noise and pollution is very low, making it environmentally friendly. Noise is often generated from impact among components and between hammers and piles.

Hydraulic press-in is also a modern device which uses hydraulic rams to install piles. This method has higher preference in areas where vibration is not supposed to occur. All forms of piling devices can be rented from renting companies in most countries. Governments also maintain a collection of their own devices.




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