System and Method for Installing Pilings Using a Removable Helical Tool

This is a US Non-Provisional Patent Application, which claims priority to and/or the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/710,460, filed on 22 Oct. 2024, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/567,920, filed on 20 Mar. 2024, each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Not applicable

The apparatus, system and method of the present invention includes a helical tool or pile that can be screwed, rotated, turned or augered into soil to a first depth, e.g., using a helical driving tool, with an upper portion of the helical tool remaining above a soil surface. A helical tool can be driven to a depth that enables the helical tool to provide the necessary static weight to support a pile driver that can be used to drive other pilings through a bore of the helical tool. A pile driver can be coupled to the upper portion of the helical tool after the helical tool is driven into the soil. One or more pilings, e.g., typical concrete or wood pilings or piling sections, can then be driven through a bore of the helical tool to a second depth. The helical tool can be removed from the soil when pile driving is complete and used at another location.

Generally, in the prior art when building foundations for a structure, one or more 8-inch (20.31 cm) diameter or width concrete piles (or piles having about a 6 to 14 inch (15.24-35.56 cm) diameter or width) are typically hammered or otherwise driven into the soil about 50 or 60 feet (15.24-18.29 m) or so. In harder or sandy soils, however, hammering or driving in an 8-inch (20.31 cm) width concrete pile, for example, doesn't work as the concrete piling stops driving as if it has hit a wall, and possibly the piling can break or be structurally damaged or compromised. Thus, in the prior art of driving in sandy or harder soils, a helical tool or pile having a plurality of helices or flights can typically be used instead of a concrete piling to drive into the harder soils. A helical tool typically has at least a diameter of about 8 to 14 inches (20.31-35.56 cm) and typically is made of steel. A central bore of a helical pile is typically filled or grouted with concrete after being driven into the soil in the prior art.

As used herein the terms “hard soil” or “harder soil” encompasses soil comprising layers including sand or rocks, encompasses soils which are highly compacted or compressed, and/or encompasses soils that have soil layers that are harder than layers of lightly compressed silt, for example. Harder soils include soils having dirt with sand, or soils with harder dirt or clay. Harder clay or dirt can be compacted clay or dirt, or dry clay or dirt, or denser clay or dirt.

In prior art systems and methods of building foundations in harder soils, a helical tool remains in the ground and is typically filled or grouted in with concrete. A helical tool generally is made of steel and is very expensive. Needing to use helical tools in construction in harder soils then can significantly increase cost for a project compared to projects where concrete or wooden piles can be used to build foundations in other types of soils. Numerous helical tools may be needed for a single building project in harder soils. Reference is made to “Grouted Helical Micropiles from Danbro Distributors” available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GbrtsbYDDY, which is incorporated herein by reference.

In use, a helical tool or pile is generally rotated into soil such that helices, or flights, or helical plates engage with the soil to advance the tool therein. This helps to minimize or eliminate vibration. Helices or flights or helical plates on a helical tool generally are configured for soil displacement rather than soil excavation, so little or no spoil is removed during driving. After driving of a helical tool, each helice, flight or helical plate creates a bearing surface to distribute the axial load to the surrounding soil.

In the prior art, auger cast piles are also sometimes used in areas with poor soil conditions, e.g., in New Orleans, Louisiana, US, in a case auger drilling process. With this process, dirt and spoils come out as an auger pile is being driven in. A hollow stem with flights along a continuous length can have a casing or no casing. The hollow stem is driven into soil with spoils coming out of the soil to form a bore in the soil. Concrete or grout is pumped through the hollow stem and/or casing if present to fill a cavity or bore created during driving while the hollow stem with flights is being pulled out of the soil. A reinforcement cage can be cast in the freshly placed concrete. Thus, an auger pile typically has multiple flights and then is removed, or can be cast in place with the bore or hole that is formed during drilling being filled or grouted with concrete. Problems occur because pockets in the soil form due to water or air during drilling and a large amount of unnecessary concrete can be poured in as it fills up the pockets. If drilling to a total depth of about 100 feet (30.48 m), at about 6 to 8 feet (1.83-2.44 m) water and/or a void(s), resulting in pockets, may be hit. Heavy duty cranes or drilling rigs are for case auger drilling.

There is a need in the art for a system and method to drive into hard, sandy soils without requiring use of one or more helical piles or auger cast piles that remain in the ground and/or are grouted or filled with concrete.

The following Patents and Patent Application Publications are incorporated herein by reference:

The following web pages are incorporated herein by reference thereto.

The apparatus, system and method of the present invention solves the problems confronted in the art in a simple and straightforward manner. What is provided is a system and method of installing or driving an improved piling apparatus or system. The system and method of the present invention can be used in a wide variety of applications, including in new construction, e.g., using smaller residential type concrete pilings (e.g., about 6 to 8 inch (15.24-20.31 cm) diameter or width concrete pilings). The system and method of the present invention can also be used in commercial or industrial type applications in which larger diameter pilings (e.g., about 8 to 14 inch (20.32-35.56 cm) diameter or width concrete pilings) typically are preferred.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, a helical tool (which may sometimes also be referred to herein as a helical screw pile or helical pile) can first be used in the system and method of the present invention to dig into soil, e.g., in harder or sandy type soils, where driving a concrete piling by itself is difficult, or sometimes does not work because the concrete piling stops driving or possibly can be damaged when being driven into the soil.

A preferred embodiment of a helical tool of the present invention can be manufactured to include a plurality of helices or flights of different sizes, e.g., three helices or flights of different sizes, with a bottommost flight having a smallest width or diameter, a middle flight having a larger diameter or width than the bottommost flight and a topmost flight having a largest diameter or width. Preferably, the helices or flights are double plated in thickness, at least along a portion of a flight. Each flight can be double plated, or one or more flights can be double plated.

Alternatively, a helical tool of the present invention can also be manufactured to include a plurality of flights, e.g., three flights, that have the same dimensions or substantially the same dimensions, one or more of which can be double plated in thickness at least along a portion of a flight. Each flight can be double plated, or one or more flights can be double plated.

In other embodiments, for example, a helical tool can be used that has three helices or flights of about the same diameter or dimensions and which are not double plated, e.g., an Almita brand helical tool can potentially be used.

Helical tools are typically made from steel and are expensive. A helical tool generally augers into the ground with a spinning motion. As mentioned, in prior art systems and methods, a helical tool remains in the ground and is typically filled or grouted in with concrete.

For example, in the prior art, when building foundations, one or more 8-inch (20.32cm) diameter concrete piles typically may be hammered or otherwise driven into the soil about 50 or 60 feet (15.24-18.29 m) or so. In harder or sandy soils, however, when hammering or driving in an 8-inch (20.32 cm) concrete pile, the piles stop driving as if they hit wall and possibly can be structurally damaged or compromise the piling. Thus, in the prior art, in sandy or harder soils, a helical tool is used instead of a typical concrete piling to drive into the harder soils.

A helical tool typically has a diameter of about 8 to 14 inches (20.32-35.65 cm) in the prior art. A helical tool in the prior art is filled or grouted with concrete in use as a building foundation. In a residential application, of the present invention, a helical tool used can have a diameter or width of about 4 to 10 inches (10.16-25.4 cm), or at least about 4 to 9 inches (10.16-22.86 cm) in diameter, and can have a length of about 6 to 20 feet (1.83-6.1 m), for example.

In a preferred embodiment for a residential application, when driving about 6-inch (15.24 cm) diameter or width concrete pilings through a bore of a helical tool, the helical tool preferably has a diameter of about 6 3/4 inch (17.15 cm) and is about 10 feet (3.05 m) long.

In one or more preferred embodiments of the present invention, a bore of a helical tool is not grouted or filled in place with concrete or other structural material so that one or more pilings can be driven through a bore of the helical tool.

In a preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention, a helical tool is used to start a pile driving process to drive a portion of an overall desired depth into soil and is not driven to a full desired depth that a piling chain or segmental piling will have. A helical tool can be driven into the soil until a desired torque or weight effect is reached, e.g., to about 8 to 10 feet (2.44-3.05 m), or to about 6 to 60 feet (1.83-18.29 m), using a helical pile auger type driving tool, such as one including a torque motor that can measure torque applied while driving the helical tool and rotate the helical tool during driving. Other helical driving tools that are commercially available can also be used if desired. Generally, a desired torque may be reached when the helical tool stops driving or a desired torque can be based on specifications provided by an engineer for the project, for example. In one embodiment, a helical tool can be driven into the soil until 20 kips (or 20,000 pounds-force) (or 20,000 pounds torque) (88,964.43 Newtons) is achieved. A helical tool driver may be coupled onto a tracked or wheeled excavator type vehicle (e.g., a BobCat brand tracked or wheeled vehicle having a boom can be used), which eliminates a need to use heavy cranes or drilling rig machinery in the system and method of the present invention. A helical tool driver can also be attached to a hydraulic power pack. The torque or resistance of force can be calculated with a helical tool driver while driving the helical tool into the ground.

A helical tool can include one or more helical flights, helices or helical plates on an exterior of the helical tool and include a central bore. Preferably a helical tool used in the present invention will have one or more flights that enable the helical tool to drive into the soil with no, or minimal, amounts of soil getting dug out and pushed or pulled onto the soil surface.

An upper portion of a helical tool can remain above a soil surface after driving of the helical tool is complete, e.g., about 4 to 24 inches (10.16-60.96 cm) above a soil surface. Preferably, enough of an upper portion of a helical tool remains above a soil surface to enable a pile driving tool or pile driver, e.g., a hydraulic pile driver, to be coupled to the helical tool. Other types of pile driving tools can also be used in the system and method of the present invention, if desired.

After driving the helical tool into the soil to a desired depth at which a desired torque is achieved, the helical tool driver can be removed from the helical tool. A pile driver, e.g., an hydraulic pile driver, can then be coupled to a portion of the helical tool that remains above the soil surface. A bracket or bolt type connector, for example, can be used to couple a hydraulic pile driver to the helical tool. The depth that a helical tool is driven to can be selected based on the torque or weight effect needed for the helical tool to be able to support a pile driver coupled to the helical tool, while the pile driver is used to drive piles through the central bore of the helical tool. A pile driver coupled to a helical tool can drive pilings or pile sections through the bore of the helical tool and to a depth into a soil mass below the helical tool.

Next, a piling, e.g., a concrete piling or a wood piling, can be driven through a central bore of the helical tool using the pile driver that is coupled to the helical tool and further into the soil mass below the helical tool. A piling driven through a bore of the helical tool can be a concrete piling having a diameter or width of about 6 to 14 inches (15.24-35.56 cm), for example, and of any desired length, e.g., about 6 inches (15.24 cm) to 20 feet (6.1 m) in length. A piling can be a concrete piling with a central bore. A piling can be a concrete piling with rebar. A piling used in the present invention can also be a PermaLock™ piling used by Davie Shoring, Inc. and developed by the present inventor as shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,848,864 and 7,108,458, each of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference thereto.

A PermaLock™ piling, or a piling as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,848,864 and 7,108,458, can be round or substantially round, or can have a substantially rectangular shape or a square shape, or can have another desired block style shape. These pilings can be about 6 to 14 inches (15.24-35.56 cm) in diameter or width and about 6 inches (15.24 cm) to 3 feet (91.44 cm) in height. Preferably these pilings can be connected or locked together along a longitudinal axis, e.g., preferably along a central longitudinal axis, to form a piling chain or segmental piling of a desired overall height, e.g., of a desired height that is capable of supporting a structure to be built thereon. One or more rods along a central longitudinal axis of an overall piling chain length can be used as a coupler for piling sections and torqued while coupling piling sections together.

For residential applications, typically it is preferred to use a round piling or piling section that can have about a 6 to 8 inch (15.24-20.31 cm) diameter or width. After an overall piling chain length is reached and when finished driving the pilings or piling sections through the bore of the helical tool, the pile driver can be removed from the helical tool. The helical pile driving tool can be coupled back onto the helical tool and can be used to remove the helical tool from the soil mass. The helical tool can later be used again at another pile driving site for the same project or for other projects.

The present inventor previously developed a system where a pile driving tool/a pile driver can be coupled to a weighted truck to provide weight needed to drive piles, e.g., concrete pilings or piling sections, in residential areas, and reference is made to (https://www.davieshoring.com/lockport-shipyard/) for more information on this process. Using a weighted truck is beneficial because it is easier to bring a truck onsite in residential areas or in city blocks, for example, than a typical drilling rig or crane. A weighted truck can also be used during pile driving instead of needing to rely on the weight provided by a building foundation. As mentioned, a BobCat brand tracked or wheeled vehicle can also be used in one or more embodiments of the present invention.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a helical tool is preferably driven into ground to a desired torque to provide the necessary weight and support for connecting a pile driving tool/a pile driver to the helical tool so that the pile driving tool/pile driver can then drive piles through a bore of the helical tool and further downward into a soil mass below the helical tool. The helical tool provides the static weight necessary for the pile driver to drive one or more piles further into a soil mass below the helical tool. Using a helical tool to provide the necessary static weight and resistance to drive other pilings through the bore of the helical tool and further downward into a soil mass is an important feature in the system and method of the present invention.

When driving the helical tool into the soil, preferably a user calculates the resistance of force, e.g., using a helical tool driver, to a desired torque. Preferably a helical tool driver includes a pressure gauge and measures pressure while driving. The helical pile system is preferred over using a prior art auger system because when driving a helical tool, the soil, at least for the most part, stays in the soil mass, and it is not pushed out during driving. When pile driving the other piles through the helical tool bore, this further stiffens up the soil because the driving causes the soil to be displaced downward and/or to pack around a pile and provide even more skin friction where the soil or mud “grabs” the outside of the piles or pilings.

In one or more preferred embodiments of the present invention, the system and method of the present invention is quiet and relatively quiet or silent, with very little vibration, which is important in residential areas or in areas with other buildings nearby, e.g., to prevent structural damage in nearby structures.

In one or more preferred embodiments of the present invention, the system and method of the present invention provide benefits of no or minimal noise, no or minimal vibration, and no or minimal contamination, e.g., where soil matter is not brought up to a soil surface but at least substantially remains within the soil mass.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a helical tool can be driven in and pinned or capped off, e.g., to prevent soil from entering its bore. Then it can be driven in further so dirt doesn't get inside it.

In one embodiment, for a piling chain of about 25 tons (22.68 metric tons), with an 8-inch (20.32 cm) diameter (or approximately 8-inch (20.32 cm) diameter, for example), about a 20 to 60 feet (6.1-18.29m) depth for the helical tool is reached to get torque needed to act as a suitable weight for the concrete pile driver that drives pile sections through the bore of a helical pile.

In another embodiment, less than about an eleven foot (3.25 m) depth is reached when driving the helical tool, e.g., when driving a 10 to 11 foot (3.05-3.35 m) long helical tool into the soil mass.

In one or more preferred embodiments of a helical tool, a helical tool has a bore that can receive a piling of a desired width, e.g., a bore that can receive about a 6-inch (15.24 cm) diameter or width piles to be driven therethrough. If about 6-inch (15.24 cm) diameter or width pilings will be used, the bore of the helical tool can be about 6.5 to 7 inches (16.51-17.78 cm) in diameter or width, for example, and preferably about 6¾ inches (17.15 cm) in diameter or width.

In one preferred embodiment of a residential application, an 11-foot (3.35 m) long helical tool or casing that has about a 6 to 7 (15.24-17.78 cm), or 6 and ¾ inch (17.15 cm) inside diameter bore can be used. The helical tool can be made of steel, for example. Prior to driving the helical tool into the soil, the bore of the helical tool is filled with a chain of pile sections, each pile section can be about six inches (15.24 cm) wide by about one foot (30.48 cm) tall, for example.

First a chain of pile sections are connected or interlocked together. Each pile section can have a bore capable of receiving a rod, e.g., a threaded rod. Each rod can be about 12 inches (30.48 cm) when using a piling that has a longitudinal length of 1 foot (30.48 cm) or less. The rod can be placed inside the bore of a bottommost piling section with a portion of the rod extending outside the piling section. A fastener, e.g., a nut, can be screwed onto the rod portion externally extending out of the pile section. A second rod can be coupled with the fastener, e.g., a nut. This second rod then can be pushed through the bore of a second concrete pile section so that a portion of the second rod extends externally to the second pile section. This process can be repeated until a desired length chain is reached, e.g., about a 10-foot (3.05 m) pile chain length is reached if a ten to eleven foot (3.05-3.35 m) helical tool is being used. Between adding each pile section a fastener, e.g., a nut and rod can be torqued down. Alternatively, pile sections with rod connectors already embedded within the pile section can also be used, e.g., as later described and shown herein.

The pile chain can then be pushed into the bore of the helical tool. A portion of the bottommost pile section can extend below and be external to the bottom of the helical tool.

A helical tool driver can then be connected to an upper end of the helical tool, e.g., with a bolted connection or with another desired coupler. The helical tool driver can include a bottom plate having a bore that is capable of receiving a rod extending from the uppermost part of the pile chain.

The helical tool filled with the piling chain can then be picked up, e.g., by an arm or boom of a tracked vehicle, and the helical tool, filled with the piling chain, can be driven into a soil mass until the helical tool stops driving or until a desired torque is reached. Preferably enough of an upper portion of the helical tool remains above the soil mass to enable coupling a pile driver to the helical tool.

Next, the helical tool driver is removed from the helical tool. A pile driver can then be coupled to the helical tool. The pile chain positioned within the helical tool bore can then be added to and driven further into the soil mass through the helical tool bore. New pile sections are added in a same or similar method as described above when constructing the first portion of the pile chain. After each new pile section is added, the pile driver that is connected to the helical tool can be used to push the pile chain further into the soil below the helical tool.

The helical tool can be driven into the soil mass until proper torque required for a job is reached, e.g., about 10,000 lbs of pressure (68,948 kPA) when a 10-ton (9.07 metric ton) piling chain is desired. Typically, the helical tool simply stops driving and this is an indicator that a necessary torque is reached. If a helical tool doesn't stop, additional helical tool sections can be added and driven downward until a correct pressure is reached. Helical tool sections can be coupled together with a bolted connection for example. Once driving stops, cylinders (e.g., hydraulic) connected to a helical tool driver head, for example, can be disconnected, e.g., unbolted, and then the helical tool driver can be disconnected from the helical tool and taken off.

Next a pile driver (sometimes referred to as a pressing tool) can be connected to the helical tool. A new pile or piling section can be coupled to the uppermost pile or piling section of the pile or piling chain in the bore of the helical tool. Using friction and with the helices or flights of the helical tool grabbing adjacent soil, it is easier to press the piling chain into the soil than it would be if the helical tool was not used in the process. This enables easily pressing concrete piles into sandy or hard soils, for example. At the beginning of pressing pilings through the bore, pressure measured may be about 1000 psi (6,895 kPa), for example, then pressure may increase to about 1200 psi (8,274 kPa), for example, as more pilings are driven. Using the gauge on the pile driver provides information about what the resistance is to allow knowing when a desired ton capacity for the chain is reached. For example, when resistance on the piling chain is about 2000 psi (13,790 kPa) as shown on a pressure gauge of the pile driver, this provides information that about a 10-ton (9.07 metric ton) piling chain has been driven. When resistance on the piling chain is about 2500 psi (17,237 kPa), this provides information that about a 12.5 ton (11.35 metric ton) piling chain has been driven.

After pressing all the piling sections in and a desired overall length piling chain is driven, (e.g., about 30 feet (9.14 m) long), the pile driver can be disconnected from the helical tool. The helical tool driver can then be connected back onto the helical tool. The helical tool can be removed or unscrewed from the soil mass using the helical tool driver. The piling chain, e.g., which can be about 20 to 50 feet (6.1-15.24 m) long, for example, remains in the ground although the helical tool is removed from the ground.

In preferred embodiments, a pile driver is coupled to the helical tool when driving pilings through a bore of the helical tool. Optionally, a pile driver does not have to be coupled to the helical tool but can be coupled to a tracked vehicle, e.g., a BobCat brand tracked vehicle, or weighted truck or other desired device, vehicle, or structure providing enough weight and resistance for the pile driver to function to drive pilings through the bore of the helical tool. Attaching a pile driver to the helical tool, however, is preferred, for example, to limit machinery and equipment needed on site while pile driving.

In general, no cap or plate on the bottom of helical tool is needed when driving with pilings inside or without pilings inside the bore. It generally doesn't affect the process much if soil is present in the bore of a helical tool. If soil gets in and packed in tight in the helical tool, the soil pushes against the helical tool and can get packed in the bore around the piling chain. When the helical tool is removed from the soil, no or little soil comes to a ground surface.

When driving the piling chain through the bore of a helical tool, if the piling chain doesn't stop, additional pilings can be added through the bore until the piling chain stops driving or until desired torque is reached.