How does silent piling work?

Silent piling or the ‘press-in’ technique is a non dynamic method for the installation of steel sheet piles suited to confined urban, environmentally sensitive and confined space construction sites.

It utilises hydraulic rams to push the piles into the ground and is commonly marketed as ‘silent piling’, which is vibration free.

The machine derives the reaction required to install piles from gripping previously installed piles, to press-in subsequent piles at the same time. This allows the press-in machine to self-walk along the pile top.

VolkerGround Engineering operate a Kowan Stillworker ZU-100 piling press, but are able to offer other types of machine through our selected partner suppliers.

Driving assistance – to improve penetration in variable ground conditions that include stiff layers, cobbles and gravels, driving assistance is proved by:

Water Jetting - high water pressure at the toe of the pile creates a pilot hole through the hard strata, allowing piles to push heavier particles out of the way. It also lubricates the pile to temporarily reduce skin friction between the soil and the pile.

- high water pressure at the toe of the pile creates a pilot hole through the hard strata, allowing piles to push heavier particles out of the way. It also lubricates the pile to temporarily reduce skin friction between the soil and the pile. Pre-augering – a continuous auger is inserted into the ground to a depth and then reversed out to ensure that the effected area is localised to the point of insertion.

VolkerGround Engineering has successfully completed a number of projects utilising this technique, within sensitive urban environments, for commercial and residential basement structures and limited access rail environments.