AU2016216728B2

AU2016216728B2 - Pile plates and pile joints

Info

Publication number: AU2016216728B2
Application number: AU2016216728A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Keith Smith
Original assignee: Keller Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Keller Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2008-06-02
Filing date: 2016-08-19
Publication date: 2018-03-29
Anticipated expiration: 2029-04-21
Also published as: AU2016216728A1

Abstract

PILE PLATES AND PILE JOINTS Male and female pile plates, piles and pile joints comprising such plates 5 and a stressing bed alignment jig are disclosed. The pile joint comprises a female pile plate having a base, a recess in a surface of the base and a channel in a sidewall of the recess and a male pile plate having a base, a projection extending from a surface of the base and a channel in a sidewall of the projection. The bases of the male and female pile plates each have a recessed 10 underside for receiving a termination of a pile. The projection of the male pile plate is received within the recess of the female pile plate such that the channel in the sidewall of the recess aligns with the channel in the sidewall of the projection, the male and female pile plates being locked together with a locking member received within at least part of the aligned channels. 394274vl 'AL 2858037v1

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to pile plates and piles and pile joints comprising the pile plates. The present invention also relates to a stressing bed alignment jig for such pile plates. In particular, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a pile joint, or splice, formed by the pile plates for pre-cast and/or pre-stressed concrete piles or pile sections.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Piles are used extensively around the world for foundations and other construction applications. Although piles are sometimes prefabricated from materials such as steel, precast concrete piles are the most common. Piles are manufactured in a range of cross-sectional shapes, such as square, circular, octagonal or H-shaped and in a range of cross-sectional sizes, typically from about 250-750mm. Piles are also manufactured in a range of lengths up to about 70m depending on the application.

Often, pile lengths required for a particular application are too long for the casting yard or for transportation to a site. Some pile lengths are too long to be driven into the ground or because of headroom or other site restrictions. In such situations, a pile may comprise one or more splices or joints that join two shorter pile lengths together. A wide range of pile splices are known, which can generally be categorised as follows: welded, dowel, sleeve, connector ring, mechanical, prestressed, wedge and pinned. The different types of splices

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2016216728 19 Aug 2016 comprise various features, benefits and drawbacks, some of which are discussed below.

Disadvantages of the joints that employ recessed sleeves that are joined together with adhesive, typically epoxy, include the time and cost associated with their use. The constituents of the adhesive first need to be mixed together and the epoxy must then cure before the joined piles can be driven. While the epoxy is curing the two piles need to be held in position with a crane. Hence, expensive labour and piling machinery idles whilst the joint cures. Similar delays in production are encountered with welded pile joints. Therefore, mechanical pile joints are often preferred because they are quicker and easier to use.

A mechanical joint known as a Balken or Hercules joint comprises a male and female joint interlocked by a rotated bayonet pile joint. A steel pin protruding from a male steel cap aligns the piles and once rotated, locking pins are inserted to hold the piles in the locked position.

Another mechanical pile joint consists of pins projecting from one pile section into a doweled recess in a block of another pile section. The pin and recessed block are locked together by a shear dowel running laterally through the pin and recess. Alternatively, a wedged pin fits across a reduction in the pin diameter.

A joint known as the Westpile joint uses a wedge shape connector, usually in the corners, to lock together plates comprising the top and bottom half of the pile joint.

A joint known as the Sure-Lock® joint comprises top and bottom male and female plates having matching annular grooves. Steel bars are driven into the grooves forming a shear key joint.

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Whilst at least some of the aforementioned joints satisfactorily fulfil their purpose, there is nonetheless a drive to develop improved pile joints that are less costly to produce and/or use and/or provide superior strength and/or can be used in a wide range of applications.

In this specification, the terms “comprises”, “comprising” or similar terms are intended to mean a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a method, system or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include those elements solely, but may well include other elements not listed.

In this specification, in relation to piles, the terms “splice” and “joint” are 10 used interchangeably.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one form, although it need not be the only or indeed the broadest form, the invention resides in a male pile plate comprising:

a base having a projection extending from a surface of the base;

the projection having a sidewall comprising a channel for receiving at least part of a locking member;

the base having a recessed underside for receiving a termination of a pile;

and a plurality of spaced apart apertures in the plate for receiving elongate members of the pile.

In another form, although not necessarily the broadest form, the invention resides in a female pile plate comprising:

a base having a recess in a surface of the base;

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2016216728 19 Aug 2016 the recess having a sidewall comprising a channel for receiving at least part of a locking member;

the base having a recessed underside for receiving a termination of a pile;

In a further form, although not necessarily the broadest form, the invention resides in a pile joint comprising:

a female pile plate having a base, a recess in a surface of the base and a channel in a sidewall of the recess;

a male pile plate having a base, a projection extending from a surface of the base and a channel in a sidewall of the projection; and the bases of the male and female pile plates each having a recessed 15 underside for receiving a termination of a pile;

wherein the projection of the male pile plate is received within the recess of the female pile plate such that the channel in the sidewall of the recess aligns with the channel in the sidewall of the projection, the male and female pile plates locked together with a locking member received within at least part of the aligned channels.

Suitably, the elongate members may be in the form of reinforcing members and/or stressing cables.

Suitably, the male and female pile plates comprise first apertures for receiving a first size of elongate member and second apertures for receiving a second size of elongate member.

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Suitably, the first apertures are aligned along a first arcuate path and the second apertures are aligned along a second arcuate path.

Suitably, the first arcuate path is offset with respect to the second arcuate path.

Suitably, the second apertures are provided in the pile plates in spaces between the first apertures.

Suitably, ten first apertures and twelve second apertures are provided in the pile plates.

Suitably, the pile plates are substantially octagonal, hexagonal, square or 10 circular, or in the shape of another regular or irregular polygon or in the shape of a letter.

Suitably, the projection of the male pile plate and the recess of the female pile plate are substantially circular.

Suitably, the pile plates further comprise a pair of spaced apart apertures 15 substantially aligned with a centre line of the plate for attaching the plate to an alignment jig.

In a yet further form, although not necessarily the broadest form, the invention resides in a pile comprising the aforementioned male pile plate or the aforementioned female pile plate.

In another form, although not necessarily the broadest form, the invention resides in a stressing bed alignment jig comprising:

a top alignment plate spaced apart from a bottom alignment plate; and 25 at least one elongate spacer extending between the top and bottom

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2016216728 19 Aug 2016 alignment plates;

wherein the top and bottom alignment plates comprise a plurality of spaced apart apertures arranged in an arcuate path for receiving stressing cables therethrough.

Suitably, the top and bottom alignment plates each comprise twelve spaced apart apertures substantially aligning with twelve second apertures provided in the aforementioned male and female pile plates.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the 10 following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

By way of example only, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG 1 is a perspective view of a male pile plate and a female pile plate;

FIG 2 is a side elevation of the male and female pile plates of FIG 1;

FIG 3 is a plan view of an underside of the male pile plate of FIG 1;

FIG 4 is a perspective view of the male and female pile plates of FIG 1 joined together;

FIG 5 is a sectional view of the male and female pile plates of FIG 1 joined together to form a joint;

FIG 6 is a plan view of the male and female pile plates of FIG 1 joined together showing details of a keyway and access apertures;

FIG 7 is a side elevation of a stressing bed alignment jig; and

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FIG 8 is a plan view of plates of the jig of FIG 7.

Like reference numerals are used in the figures to refer to like features. Features in the figures may not be drawn to scale or in proportion to each other, but are represented in the manner shown for the sake of clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG 1 shows a pair of pile plates in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, which join together to form a pile joint or pile splice. A male pile plate 10 comprises a base 12 having a projection 14 extending from a surface 16 of the base 12. The projection 14 has a sidewall 18 comprising a channel 20 for receiving at least part of a locking member 22 as described in further detail hereinafter. The male pile plate 10 comprises a plurality of spaced apart apertures 24 extending through the base 12 and the projection 14 for receiving elongate members of the pile as described in further detail hereinafter.

Male pile plate 10 also comprises a pair of spaced apart apertures 26 substantially aligned with a centre line of the male pile plate 10, which extend through the base 12 and the projection 14. Apertures 26 are for affixing the male pile pate to a stressing bed alignment jig as described in further detail hereinafter. Corners of the base 12 of the male pile plate 10 comprise a chamfer

28.

FIG 1 also shows a female pile plate 30 comprising a base 32 having a recess 34 in a surface 36 of the base 32. The recess 34 has a sidewall 38 comprising a channel 40 for receiving at least part of the locking member 22, which is inserted through an access aperture 42 in a sidewall 44 of the base 32.

Female pile plate 30 comprises a plurality of spaced apart apertures 24

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2016216728 19 Aug 2016 extending through the base 32 and the recess 34 for receiving elongate members of the pile as described in further detail hereinafter. Female pile plate 30 also comprises a pair of spaced apart apertures 46 aligned with a centre line of the female pile plate 30, which extend through the base 32 and the recess 34 for affixing the female pile pate 30 to a stressing bed alignment jig as described in further detail hereinafter. Corners of the base 32 of the female pile plate 30 comprise a chamfer 48.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG 1, the bases 12, 32 of the male and female pile plates 10, 30 are substantially octagonal in shape.

However, in alternative embodiments, the bases 12, 32 can be in the shape of another regular or irregular polygon, such as hexagonal, square, circular, or substantially such shapes, or another shape as required by the particular application, such as the shape of letters, e.g. H-shaped, l-shaped etc.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG 1, the projection 14 of the male pile plate 10 and the recess 34 of the female pile plate 30 are substantially circular. However, in alternative embodiments, the projection 14 and the recess 34 can be in the shape of another regular or irregular polygon, such as hexagonal, square, circular, or substantially such shapes, or another shape as required by the particular application. The projection 14 and the recess 34 will be complimentarily shaped such that the projection 14 can be received within the recess 34.

FIG 2 shows a side elevation of the male and female pile plates 10, 30 comprising elongate members in the form of reinforcing members 50, known as head bars, of a respective pile to which the male and female pile plates 10, 30 are attached. According to some embodiments, an edge of the projection 14

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2016216728 19 Aug 2016 comprises a chamfer 52, such as a 45° chamfer, to facilitate smooth joining of the male and female pile plates 10, 30. FIG 2 also shows one of the apertures 26 through the base 12 and the projection 14 of the male pile plate 10 and one of the apertures 46 through the base 32 of the female pile plate 30.

Referring to FIG 3 showing a plan view of an underside of the male pile plate 10 and FIG 4 showing a perspective view of the male and female pile plates 10, 30 joined together, the bases 12, 32 of the plates 10, 30 have a recessed underside for receiving a termination of a pile. Each base 12, 32 thus comprises a sleeve 54.

Regarding the plurality of spaced apart apertures for receiving reinforcing members 50 of the pile, according to some embodiments, the male and female pile plates 10, 30 comprise first apertures 56 for receiving a first size of elongate member, such as reinforcing member 50, and second apertures 58 for receiving a second size of elongate member. The second apertures 58 are provided in the pile plates 10, 30 in spaces between the first apertures 56. The first apertures 56 are aligned along a first arcuate path 60, part of which is shown in FIG 3, and the second apertures 58 are aligned along a second arcuate path 62, part of which is shown in FIG 3. The first arcuate path 60 is offset in a radial direction with respect to the second arcuate path 62.

According to preferred embodiments shown in FIGS 3 and 4, the male and female pile plates 10, 30 comprise ten first apertures 56 and twelve second apertures 58. First apertures 56 have a diameter of about 33mm and second apertures 58 have a diameter of about 18mm. First apertures 56 have a linear spacing between their centres of about 101mm and second apertures 58 have a linear spacing between their centres of about 104mm. The first arcuate path 60

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2016216728 19 Aug 2016 is provided at a radius of about 203.5mm and the second arcuate path 62 is provided at radius of about 210mm such that the radial offset between the first and second arcuate paths 60, 62 is about 6.5mm. The linear separation between the pair of second apertures 58a and between the pair of second apertures 58b is about 130mm and the separation between the spaced apart apertures 26 is about 150mm.

The male and female pile plates 10, 30 can be machined from a single piece of suitable grade steel, such as Australian Standard AS3597-1993 Grade 700 steel or equivalent in other jurisdictions. Alternatively, the male and female pile plates 10, 30 can be cast from Australian Standard AS2074-2003 Class L6A-2 steel or equivalent in other jurisdictions. According to some embodiments, the male pile plate 10 has a mass of 196.5kg and the female pile plate 30 has a mass of 159.5kg. Elongate reinforcing members 50 received within first apertures 56 can be D500N or equivalent and conform to Australian

Standard/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 4671 or equivalent in other jurisdictions. Elongate reinforcing members 50 can comprise a Bartec thread about 27mm long for joining to the pile plates 10, 30. Elongate members received within second apertures 58 are in the form of wire strands or cables for pre-stressing the pile and can conform to Australian Standard/New Zealand

Standard AS/NZS 4672.1-7 Wire Ordinary or equivalent in other jurisdictions. However, it should be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to pile plates having the aforementioned specified dimensions, masses and materials.

Referring to FIG 5, a pile joint or splice 70 according to embodiments of the present invention comprises the male and female pile plates 10, 30 joined together. The pile joint 70 comprises the female pile plate 30 having the recess

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2016216728 19 Aug 2016 in the surface 36 of the base 32 and the channel 40 in the sidewall 38 of the recess 34 and the male pile plate 10 comprising the projection 14 extending from the surface 16 of the base 12 and the channel 20 in the sidewall 18 of the projection 14. FIG 5 shows the male and female pile plates 10, 30 each having 5 a recessed underside bound by sleeves 54 for receiving a respective termination of a pile 72, 74. The projection 14 of the male pile plate 10 is received within the recess 34 of the female pile plate 30 such that the channel 40 in the sidewall 38 of the recess 34 aligns with the channel 20 in the sidewall 18 of the projection 14 to form a keyway 78. The male and female pile plates 10, 30 are locked together with the locking member 22 received within at least part of the aligned channels 20, 40.

According to some embodiments, the locking member 22 is an alloy bar conforming to Australian Standard AS1443-1994 M 1020, or equivalent in other jurisdictions, with a minimum yield strength of 500MPa. The locking member 22 has a square cross section with side lengths of about 12.7mm and comprises a tapered end 76, as shown in FIG 1, to facilitate insertion of the locking member 22 in the access aperture 42. Locking member 22 can comprise a marker 77 part way along its length to indicate the depth of insertion of the locking member 22 in the access aperture 42. With additional reference to FIG 6, access aperture 42 can have a square cross section larger than that of the locking member 22 with side lengths of about 18.5mm and can comprise an enlarged opening to facilitate insertion of the locking member 22 in the access aperture 42. When the male and female pile plates 10, 30 are joined together, locking member 22 is driven into the keyway 78 formed by adjacent channels 20, 40 up to the marker 77. Any remainder of the locking member 22 protruding from the

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2016216728 19 Aug 2016 access aperture 42 is cut off flush with the sidewall 44 of the base 32 and sealed with epoxy putty. According to some embodiments, two locking members 22 are driven into the keyway 78 formed by adjacent channels 20, 40. One locking member 22 is driven into the keyway 78 via a first access aperture 42a and another locking member 22 is driven into the keyway 78 via a second access aperture 42b provided on an opposite sidewall 44 of the base 32.

With reference to FIG 5, to further secure the joined pile sections during driving of the joined piles, heat shrink wrap 80 is wrapped around the joined piles and heated to seal the joint. The heat shrink wrap 80 can be 50 pm thick and wrapped in multiple layers over the joint 70 to a distance of about 500mm above and below the joint interface. Alternative thickness of wrap can be used and wrapped over the joint 70 to greater or lesser distances below the joint interface.

According to preferred embodiments, the female pile plate 30 is placed on the upper end of the lower pile 74 and the male pile plate 10 is placed on the lower end of the upper pile 72, as shown in FIG 5 although this configuration can be reversed. However, when the female pile plate 30 is placed on the upper end of the lower pile 74, a disc can be placed in and retained by the recess 34 of the female pile plate 30 to receive the impact when the lower pile 74 is being driven into the ground. The disc can be formed of aluminium conforming to Australian

Standard AS1874/AA601-T1 or equivalent in other jurisdictions. According to one embodiment, the disc is about 460mm in diameter and about 60mm thick to be received with the 471,5mm diameter recess 34 of the female pile plate 30.

FIG 7 shows a side elevation of a stressing bed alignment jig 90 comprising a top alignment plate 92 and a bottom alignment plate 94, which are shown in plan view in FIG 8. Top and bottom alignment plates 92, 94 are joined

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2016216728 19 Aug 2016 together and spaced apart by at least one, and in this example, four elongate spacers 96. Spacers 96 have a substantially rectangular cross section and are substantially perpendicular to the top and bottom alignment plates 92, 94. Top and bottom alignment plates 92, 94 comprise equally spaced apertures 98 arranged in a circular configuration to align with second apertures 58 of male and female pile plates 10, 30. Top and bottom alignment plates 92, 94 also comprise spaced apart apertures 100 to align with spaced apart apertures 26, 46 of male and female pile plates 10, 30.

As shown in FIG 7, before casting of the piles with the pile plates 10, 30, 10 shown in phantom in FIG 7, female pile plate 30 is attached to top alignment plate 92 and male pile plate 10 is attached to bottom alignment plate 94 with, for example, bolts 102 passing through spaced apart apertures 26, 46 and 100. In this embodiment, top alignment plate 92 is attached to surface 36 of female pile plate 30 and bottom alignment plate 94 is attached to projection 14 of male pile plate 10. Elongate members in the form of pre-stressing wire strands or cables are passed through second apertures 58 in male and female pile plates 10, 30 and through apertures 98 in top and bottom alignment plates 92, 94 such that the pre-stressing cables extend along the length of the piles to be cast and the stressing bed alignment jig 90. The cables are stressed prior to casting the pile and are cut flush with the pile plate once the pile has set. Elongate reinforcing members 50 are also inserted into first apertures 56 in male and female pile plates 10, 30 for each pile to be cast, but do not extend across the length of the stressing bed alignment jig 90. Each pile is then cast using concrete with a strength class S50/20 conforming to Australian Standard AS1379 or equivalent

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2016216728 19 Aug 2016 in other jurisdictions. However, it will be appreciated that the grade of concrete will vary according to the application for the pile.

Hence, the male and female pile plates 10, 30, joints formed from such plates and piles comprising such pile plates in accordance with embodiments of the present invention provide a commercially useful alternative to the pile plates and pile joints of the prior art. The pile plates and joints in accordance with embodiments of the present invention provide pile joints with strength and durability at least comparable to, and in some cases in excess of, those of the prior art. Embodiments of the present invention achieve a joint which can be quickly formed during the assembly of pile sections in situ resulting in a saving in pile driving cost because idling times of both labour and machinery are reduced. The recessed undersides of the bases 12, 32 of the pile plates 10, 30 for receiving the termination of the pile reduce the amount of material required to form the plates and provide improved integration between the pile and the pile plate compared with some of the prior art pile plates.

Throughout the specification the aim has been to describe the invention without limiting the invention to any one embodiment or specific collection of features. Persons skilled in the relevant art may realize variations from the specific embodiments that will nonetheless fall within the scope of the invention.

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Claims

1.

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1/4

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1. A male pile plate comprising:

a base having a projection extending from a surface of the base; the projection having a sidewall comprising a channel for receiving at

5 least part of a locking member;

the base having a recessed underside for receiving a termination of a pile; and a plurality of spaced apart apertures in the plate for receiving elongate members of the pile.

2/4

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2. The male pile plate of claim 1, wherein the elongate members are one or more of the following: reinforcing members; stressing cables.

3/4 ^vy ’ϊ

3. The male pile plate of claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of spaced apart

15 apertures comprise first apertures for receiving a first size of elongate member and second apertures for receiving a second size of elongate member.

4. The male pile plate of claim 3, wherein the first apertures are aligned along a

20 first arcuate path and the second apertures are aligned along a second arcuate path.

5. The male pile plate of claim 4, wherein the first arcuate path is offset with respect to the second arcuate path.

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6. The male pile plate of any of claims 3 to 5, wherein the second apertures are provided in the base in spaces between the first apertures.

7. The male pile plate of any of claims 3 to 6, wherein ten first apertures and

5 twelve second apertures are provided in the base.

8. The male pile plate of any preceding claim, wherein the pile plate is substantially one of the following shapes: octagonal; hexagonal; square; circular; another regular polygon; an irregular polygon; letter-shaped.

9. The male pile plate of any preceding claim, wherein the projection of the male pile plate is substantially circular.

10. The male pile plate of any preceding claim, further comprising a pair of

15 spaced apart apertures substantially aligned with a centre line of the plate for attaching the plate to an alignment jig.

11. A female pile plate comprising:

a base having a recess in a surface of the base;

20 the recess having a sidewall comprising a channel for receiving at least part of a locking member;

the base having a recessed underside for receiving a termination of a pile; and a plurality of spaced apart apertures in the plate for receiving elongate 25 members of the pile.

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12. The female pile plate of claim 11, wherein the elongate members comprise one or more of the following: reinforcing members; stressing cables.

5

13. The female pile plate of claim 11 or 12, wherein the base comprises first apertures for receiving a first size of elongate member and second apertures for receiving a second size of elongate member.

14. The female pile plate of claim 13, wherein the first apertures are aligned

10 along a first arcuate path and the second apertures are aligned along a second arcuate path.

15. The female pile plate of claim 14, wherein the first arcuate path is offset with respect to the second arcuate path.

16. The female pile plate of any of claims 13 to 15, wherein the second apertures are provided in the pile plates in spaces between the first apertures.

20

17. The female pile plate of any of claims 13 to 16, wherein ten first apertures and twelve second apertures are provided in the pile plates.

18. The female pile plate of any of claims 11 to 17, wherein the pile plate is substantially one of the following shapes: octagonal; hexagonal; square;

25 circular; another regular polygon; an irregular polygon; letter-shaped.

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19. The female pile plate of any of claims 11 to 18, wherein the recess is substantially circular.

5 20. The female pile plate of any of claims 11 to 19, further comprising a pair of spaced apart apertures substantially aligned with a centre line of the plate for attaching the plate to an alignment jig.

21. The female pile plate of any of claims 11 to 20, further comprising at least

10 one access aperture in a sidewall of the base for receiving at least one locking member.

22. A pile joint comprising:

a female pile plate having a base, a recess in a surface of the base

15 and a channel in a sidewall of the recess;

a male pile plate having a base, a projection extending from a surface of the base and a channel in a sidewall of the projection; and the bases of the male and female pile plates each having a recessed underside for receiving a termination of a pile;

20 wherein the projection of the male pile plate is received within the recess of the female pile plate such that the channel in the sidewall of the recess aligns with the channel in the sidewall of the projection, the male and female pile plates locked together with at least one locking member received within at least part of the aligned channels.

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The pile joint of claim 22, wherein the locking member comprises a marker part way along its length to indicate a depth of insertion of the locking member.

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23.

5 24.

A pile comprising the male pile plate according to any of claims 1 to 10 and/or the female pile plate according to any of claims 11 to 21.

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G 1

Cs t W SW1

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