Driven Pile Committee The committee is in the process of collecting case histories for the soon-to-be- published Cost-Efficient Driven Pile Case Histories. The case histories may include some previously published in the DFI magazine or other trade publications, presented at a previous seminar or conference, or original to this publication. The committee has identified several factors that contribute to cost-efficient driven piles. The case histories may involve of one or more of the following factors: 1) Pile type/section/material – optimizing the pile type, section or material based on desired allowable load(s) and subsurface conditions. 2) Testing – either utilizing pre- construction testing to better model subsurface conditions or construction testing (i.e., dynamic, static or rapid load testing) to reduce uncertainties. 3) Set-up – incorporating set-up into the design can reduce the pile length, section and/or pile driving equipment. 4) Higher allowable loads and/or allowable design stresses – reduce the pile count and pile cap size by fully utilizing the available geotechnical and structural allowable load for each pile. 5) Driving criteria – incorporate test results, and develop installation criteria using more reliable methods such as refined wave equation analyses vs. dynamic formulae. These are just a few examples. We encourage other factors to be considered and submitted. To allow for easy reference, the case histories will be cross-referenced based on the cost-saving factors they illustrate. Van Komurka of Wagner Komurka Geotech- nical Group, Inc. ([email protected]) has volunteered to be the point person collecting the case histories and editing the book. To ensure the book’s success, we need as many case histories as possible. We look forward to the prompt submission of fellow DFI member’s case histories. Tom Nichols Committee Chair [email protected] The committee’s next scheduled event is a one-day Driven Pile Seminar in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in February. The seminar will be conducted jointly with the PDCA and the Calgary Geotechnical Society. The seminar will feature recent developments from the significant pile driving projects in and around the oil sands. Super Pile 2012 will be in Portland, Ore., on May 16-17. The Marine Foun- dations, Drilled Shaft, Seismic and Lateral Loads, Testing & Evaluation, ACIP Pile, and Micropile Committees will be joining us once again for a two-day extravaganza. Along with the committees, Robert Bittner of Bittner-Shen Consulting Engineers has been tireless in his efforts to ensure an educational and entertaining two days. DEEP FOUNDATIONS • JAN/FEB 2012 • 59
