Pile construction and verification

This full-day course will help designers and engineers from different backgrounds to gain a wider and deeper understanding of the most construction related aspects of piled foundations. The course will also provide details about pile verification testing including static and dynamic pile load testing as well as pile shaft integrity testing.

The objective of the course is to introduce the most common pile construction methodologies for bored piles, Continuous flight Auger (CFA) piles, screw piles and some special applications like micro piles. The course will also discuss the application, applicable soil conditions and general performance of different pile types. Risks and limitations of pile load testing and pile integrity testing will also be discussed in detail and how such limitation may affect the interpretation of test results.

The course will cover the following topics:

• Introduction to the construction methodology for bored piles with permanent liners
• Introduction to the construction methodology for bored piles with temporary liners using drilling support fluids like bentonite or polymer-based fluid systems
• Discussion of the fundamentals of rock socket drilling
• Introduction of the tremie method to place concrete under fluid and potential risks associated with inadequate concrete mix designs and concrete placement techniques
• Introduction of the construction of Continuous flight Auger Piles
• Discussion of the installation of screw piles (or helical piles) and their typical applications
• Diven piles including timber piles, steel tubes and driven H-beams for land-based and marine applications
• Fundamentals of static and dynamic pile load testing, including risks and limitations of the different test methods
• Fundamentals of pile integrity testing (including PIT, Cross-hole sonic logging and Thermal integrity profiling), including risks and limitations of the different test methods
  
  

Many aspects of the course content are based on the presenter’s practical experience of more than two decades of design, construction and verification of piled foundations in New Zealand, Australia and overseas.

Is this course for you?

It is recommended that participants are familiar with the fundamental concepts of axial and lateral analysis and design of single piles. The course ‘Pile design fundamentals’ is suitable as a general introduction but is not a pre-requisite to attend this course.

• The course is designed for engineers and construction professionals interested in the fundamentals of pile construction and verification.
• Participants should be familiar with fundamental civil construction methods to enhance the learning outcome.
• Suitable as a ‘refresher’ for more experienced designers and construction engineers.
• Suitable as an introduction to those with limited or no experience in the construction of piles.
• Design engineers (structural, civil or geotechnical) from junior to senior level, researchers and technical/ engineering professionals from contracting firms, piling companies and asset owners and/ or government agencies may find the course content relevant for their specific fields.

Learning outcomes

After completion of the course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the fundamental methodology, risks and application of bored piles using permanent or temporary liners, including the use of drilling support fluids (polymer and bentonite-based fluid systems)
• Understand the fundamental methodology, applications and risks related to CFA piles and screw piles
• Understand the fundamental methodology, applications and risks related to driven piles, including timber piles, steel H-beams and tubular steel piles
• Differentiate between static and dynamic pile load testing methods, their applications and limitations
• Differentiate between different pile integrity testing methods, their applications and limitations
• Consider some of the key installation effects for bored piles, CFS piles and driven piles and their possible impact on pile performance.

Course format

This highly practical course is presented ‘live’, either face-to-face or online, which allows a close interaction with the presenter.

You’ll cover the most relevant pile construction, pile load testing and pile integrity testing methods available in New Zealand. General applications, risks and limitations of each method and how this could impact the pile performance will be discussed.

Presenter information

Dr Martin Larisch is an Independent Geotechnical and Civil Engineer (Director of Larisch Consulting Ltd) and a Fellow with Engineering New Zealand. He has been involved in the design, construction and verification of a large number and variety of different ground retention systems for more than 25 years across New Zealand, Australia and Germany.

Prior to starting his own consultancy firm, he held various technical and operational positions for some of the leading geotechnical contracting and consultancy firms in New Zealand, Australia and Europe.

Throughout his professional career (which he started as a carpenter in Germany) he gained in-depth understanding and a holistic perspective of the different life cycle requirements and the risk profile of various retaining walls, deep basement, shafts and temporary excavation systems from feasibility stage to project delivery. He has also been involved in the assessment of defective retention systems and the remediation of such defects.

Martin has published more than 30 technical papers for international journals and conferences, and he was involved in the review and development of various best industry guidelines for deep foundations in New Zealand, Australia and Europe.

He was appointed Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Queensland (Brisbane) from 2014 until 2021 and facilitated numerous lectures and seminars related to ground engineering.

Martin is currently representing the New Zealand Geotechnical Society (NZGS) in Technical Committee TC212 ‘Deep Foundations’ at the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE). He has been a member of the expert panel for the development of NZGS/ SESOC Piling Specification and the NZGS ‘Tiered Retaining Wall’ Practice