Dynamic Pile Testing for Driven Piles using PDA

ACS offers dynamic pile testing using the Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA), to measure pile capacity, pile integrity and pile, soil, and hammer performance during driving or re-strikes.

PDA Capabilities

Pile Driving Analysis is most often performed during the initial driving of any type of driven piles including steel, concrete, and timber piles. It can also be used to analyze piles during re-strikes.

Re-strikes involve the continued driving of a pile that is already embedded in the ground and has been allowed time for the surrounding soil to set up. PDA is performed at this stage in order to model long term pile capacities.

PDA Procedure

Dynamic Pile Analysis consists of attaching two accelerometer sensors and two strain gauges to each pile. During driving, the information from each sensor is relayed to a computer which correlates and analyzes the information to provide real time data regarding the pile. Data obtained from the computer includes stresses in the piles, pile integrity, and estimated pile capacities. The PDA can also be used for single blow analysis to estimate capacities for non driven piles. Shown below is an example of sensors attached to a concrete pile.

Sensors are typically attached two pile diameters below the top of pile to avoid damage during pile driving. A constraint of this arrangement is that whatever length of pile is above the sensors is not included in the analysis.

ACS performs dynamic testing according to the ASTM D4945 test standard using dynamic test equipment and analysis software manufactured by Pile Dynamics, Inc.

For a PDF of a sample print-out for PDA, please click here.