Well-known pile hammer manufacturer APE has purchased technology for driving and coupling large diameter helical piles that could help make this technology more mainstream. Rather than pounding the pile into the ground, the steel drill pipe casing is rotated using patented couplers in a way that reminds me of a giant socket wrench or an Allen wrench. The base of the pile can be post-grouted, or grouted during installation. APE notes that this technology is ideal for environmentally sensitive areas where pile driving is not an option. Piles up to 42 inches in diameter have been successfully installed and load tested. [Source: APE News. Image: APE]
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DFI Presents Ben C. Gerwick Award for Innovative Marine Foundations
Hawthorne, NJ (December 27, 2012): Patrick Bermingham, CEO of Bermingham Foundation Solutions, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, was awarded the Ben C. Gerwick Award for Innovation in Design and Construction of Marine Foundations at a dinner in early December at the DFI Marine Foundation Seminar in Norfolk, Va. The annual award recognizes innovative excellence in the design and construction of marine foundations, and honors Ben C. Gerwick for his achievements during his 62-year career in the field of marine foundations. The award is sponsored by the Deep Foundation Institute Educational Trust, University of California Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and the Ben C. Gerwick Company.
[Editor] Click through for the rest of the press release from DFI. [/Editor]