Geotechnical Monitoring

Pile Testing

High Strain Dynamic Pile Testing

High Strain Dynamic Strain Testing

Strainstall Malaysia has been accredited under Skim Akreditasi Makmal Malaysia (Laboratory Accreditation Scheme of Malaysia) to perform high strain dynamic pile testing since 1999. High Strain Dynamic Pile Testing is performed using a Pile Driving Analyser (PDA) together with strain sensors and accelerometers. The PDA is used to verify the mobilised capacity of all types of drilled and driven piles. Testing is conducted in a quick and non destructive manner.

Dynamic measurements of force and velocity are collected via the strain sensors and accelerometers attached to the pile. The PDA monitors the strain and acceleration caused by the hammer impact, and processes these signals after each hammer blow during driving or restrike to give an immediate visual. The signals are digitised by PDA, the results are computed and the data array of the signals for each blow is stored.

The following PDA results are typically obtained on site:

• Mobilised static load capacity based on the CASE method
• Pile integrity - location and extent of damage
• Driving stresses - maximum compression/tension forces at pile top/toe
• Hammer performance - maximum energy transferred to the pile

Advantages of Dynamic Pile Testing:

• Instant preliminary results on site
• Instant checks on the pile integrity and the location of any damage
• Feedback on maximum tension and compression forces
• Direct measurements of hammer input energy and efficiency
• Cost effective

Static load tests are expensive and time consuming, and therefore are often only conducted on a very small number of piles. With PDA many more piles can be tested at a much lower cost and faster speed. This improves quality assurance and helps optimise pile driving criteria. PDA results also correlate well with the pile capacity obtained from conventional static load tests, and therefore confirm the structural integrity of the pile element. A PDA is the answer for projects where static testing is prohibitively expensive or physically impossible.

We also offer a full range of hammers on site for driven piles, bored piles and micro piles. (1t, 2t, 5t, 9t, 20t, 30t and 40t)