PILE SPECIFICATION

SCOPE
The work consists of furnishing and installing the precast sheet pile at the locations
shown on the drawings.
SITE PREPARATION
All excavation within the area to be occupied by bearing piles shall be completed
before the piles are driven.
PROTECTION OF PILE HEADS
The heads of all piles shall be protected during driving by suitable caps, rings, heads,
blocks, mandrels, and other devices.
The heads of precast concrete piles shall be fitted into cushion type drive caps having
a rope or other suitable cushion next to the pile head and fitting into a casting that in
turn supports a timber shock block.
Driving heads, mandrels, and other devices shall be provided by the contractor as
needed for special types of piles and shall conform to the recommendations of the pile
manufacturer.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
The piles shall conform to the details shown on the drawings. The piles shall be cast
of portland cement concrete mixed, placed, and cured by the methods specified in a
Construction Specification, except as amended in the specification. The finished piles
shall be true to line with smooth surfaces free from stone pockets, honeycomb or
other surface defects.
The contractor shall notify the engineer before pile driving operation commences.
Such notice shall be far enough in advance, a minimum of 24 hours, to provide the
engineer adequate time to be present for the driving operations. Piles shall be driven
only in the presence of the engineer or authorized representative.
Unless otherwise approved, piles shall be driven with steam, air, diesel powered
hammers or a combination of hammers, or by vibration or water jets. Water jets may
be used only when specifically authorized by the engineer. When drop hammers are
permitted, the height of drop shall not be more than 8 feet for concrete piles
CLASSES OF CONCRETE
Unless otherwise specified, Class 4000 concrete applies.
REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcement steel shall conform to the requirements of a Construction Specification
FORMS
Forms shall be constructed of plywood, metal or dressed lumber and shall have one
(1) Inch chamfer strips at all corners. They shall be mortar tight, true to line and
adequately supported to prevent deformation or settlement during concrete
placement. They shall be designed to be removable without damaging the completed
piles.
PLACING CONCRETE
The concrete shall be placed in each pile in one continuous operation. The concrete
shall be compacted and worked into the forms and around the reinforcement by
procedures outlined by a method specified in a Construction Specification.
CURING
The piles shall be cured for a minimum period of 14 days by a method specified in a
Construction Specification.
Test cylinders cast for the purpose of determining when the piles may be subjected to
handling stresses shall be cured by the same method as the pile, at the same location
and under the same conditions as those applied to the piles.
The steam curing process may be used as an alternative to moist curing or membrane
curing. The piles shall be cured in-place on the casting bed by the introduction of
steam into a steam tight housing that completely encloses the casting bed. The first
application of steam shall be applied after the concrete has gained an initial set but in
no case sooner than two (2) hours after the concrete is placed unless a set-retarding
admixture is an ingredient of the approved concrete mix.
When a set-retarding admixture is used, the first application of steam shall be applied
no sooner than four (4) hours after the concrete is placed. Moist curing methods shall
be applied during the interval between the placement of the concrete and the
application of the steam.
The steam shall be at 100 percent relative humidity and shall not be applied directly
on the concrete. During application of the steam, the ambient air temperature within
the housing shall be increased at a maximum rate of 40oF per hour until the maximum
temperature is reached. The temperature within the housing shall be maintained
between 140oF and 160oF until the concrete has reached the specified strength. In
discontinuing the application of the steam, the ambient air temperature within the
housing shall be decreased at a maximum rate of 40oF per hour until the temperature
within the housing is not more than 20oF above the ambient air temperature outside
the housing.
The concrete shall not be exposed to temperatures below freezing for a minimum of
six (6) days after placement.
REMOVING FORMS
Side forms shall remain in place a minimum 24 hours.
HANDLING AND STORING PILES
The contractor shall handle and store piles by methods that will not cause spalling,
cracking or other damage to the piles. The Contractor shall furnish all bridles, slings
and other handling equipment as necessary.
Piles shall not be moved until the tests indicate a minimum compressive strength of
80 percent of the design 28-day compressive strength. Piles shall not be transported
or driven until the field cure test cylinders indicate a minimum compressive strength
equal to the design 28-day compressive strength.
Piles that are cracked, spalled or otherwise damaged during handling will be rejected.
CUTTING OFF PILES
The contractor shall cut the piles at the specified elevations. The length of pile cut off
shall be sufficient to permit the removal of all damaged material.
Precast concrete piles shall be cut off in a manner that prevents damage to the rest of
the pile
DEFECTIVE PILES
Any pile damaged in driving, driven out of proper location, driven below the specified
cutoff elevation, or inaccurately cut off shall be corrected by one of the following
methods, as approved by the engineer:
a. The defective pile shall be pulled and replaced or re-driven.
b. A new pile shall be driven adjacent to the defective pile.
c. The defective pile shall be spliced or built up or a sufficient part of the footing
shall be extended to properly embed the pile.
Pile shells abandoned in place after driving shall be filled with concrete or sand-
cement grout as appropriate to the conditions that are present.
All piles pushed up by the driving of adjacent piles or by any other cause shall be re-
driven to final grade.
Any sheet pile ruptured in the interlock or otherwise damaged during driving shall be
pulled and replaced.
CORRECTING SURFACE HEAVE
Any excess material resulting from displacement of earth by pile driving shall be
removed. Materials disturbed by pile driving shall be conditioned and compacted to a
minimum density equal to adjacent undisturbed material.