The Correct Way of Relevelling Piles

 Relevelling is needed in buildings where the old concrete stumps have already caused unevenness in the soil. Deformation of soil accompanying concrete growth is a cause for structural stability issues. Deformation occurs because of the pressure of people, soil vibration, and temperature changes. Sand and clay also shrink in the sub-grade are usually the main causes for soil subsidence.

The method of leveling involves the use of heavy-duty hydraulic pumps to raise portions of the structure as needed. Water is introduced to the space by a series of drains. Pipes carrying water to the different areas on the foundation are also fitted. This helps reduce the amount of labour required for the job. The pump removes whatever water is in the space that needs to be raised and the soil is pumped back to the original position. It is important to obtain building consent before embarking upon any such activity.

If the foundations of an apartment or commercial building have been built without any help from civil engineers then the approach would be more complex. In case of precast concrete foundations, the approach is relatively simpler. The concrete slab is installed in place with the help of steel wedges fitted at various points on the foundation. As the weight of the structure increases due to expansion or contraction of surrounding soil, the wedges are moved enabling the concrete to take the form of the desired load.

Most often a single horizontal piece of steel needs to be raised to 100 mm, inclusive of the pedestal beam. However, manual lifting can be done using a crane and suitable heavy machinery. For extremely strong requirements, tieback systems can be fitted. These are like hydraulic platforms that raise the crane and other associated equipment directly upwards by attaching it to the pile.

There are several advantages of this approach including avoiding a complicated construction procedure. The most obvious advantage is the time saved and therefore cost savings. Post piled concrete is quicker to build than precast foundations. On the other hand, precast foundations are heavier and require more workers to lift. Another advantage is that, even when the ground does not show any signs of settling, the piles can be dug straight up without much interruption.

In my previous posting I provided a brief explanation of how the above described method of foundation repair can be achieved. In this post, I will explain how an automatic levelling system can be implemented to minimise the costs associated with the manual approach. In the previous post, I had discussed the need for a post laid Relevelling equipment which is basically a machine that drives the wedge type trucks up the piles until they are level with the top surface of the soil. This equipment is powered by a diesel engine or an electric motor.

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