The Essentials of Pile Testing Hong Kong
Before any building is constructed, load tests are carried out to assess the bearing capacity of the foundations. This in effect determines how well the piles work for the future purpose, and also how the subsoil performs in relation to a pile. Of course, this type of testing is absolutely essential and, quite literally, at the foundation of any type of building development.
PIT or pile integrity testing is a way of assessing the quality of piles. A PDA or pile driving analyser records hammer blows to create a measurement about the strength of the blow and the stress on the pile as well as its bearing capacity.
The low-strain impact test is a non-destructive, cost-effective test, and because it can be carried out quickly, it enables a large number of piles to be tested. The way this works is by using equipment that detects changes in speed of a compression wave that indicates issues with a pile.
When it comes to concrete piles that are already fixed in place, a method to evaluate any problems that may need to be dealt with is a method called sonic logging. This is an effective way to check the structural integrity of piles, and is considered to be one of the best-performing checks.
Structural soundness needs to be established before any above-ground development, and the most thorough form of integrity testing is required. There are a multitude of defects that can be detected that need to be addressed and properly dealt with. Damage to pile walls and honeycombing as well as cracks are just a few of the complications that can undermine a pile’s integrity.
This is the stage of construction when experience and the best equipment and methods are absolutely vital. Cutting corners or making too many assumptions about piles from gathering the bare minimum data can lead to problems later, which could be far more expensive to rectify.
