You can rely on our expertise. When you team up with Pittsburgh Pipe, you’re gaining access to more than 40 years of experience. What began with three employees in one location has grown to more than 75 employees in three separate locations. We have continued to grow thanks to our commitment to our clients and by providing “the right pipe, right on time”. In this blog, we’ll discuss drilled shaft casings, or caissons—what they are and how they work.
What Are Drilled Shaft Casings?
Drilled shaft casings are also referred to as caissons, bored piles, or drilled piers. They are rigid, high-capacity, cast-in-place, concrete, deep-foundation solutions. They are used to support structures with large axial and lateral loads by drilling cylindrical shafts into the ground which are then filled with concrete. These elements and processes provide foundation and earth retention support for a broad range of structures and construction projects.
Drilled-hole shafts like this are deep-foundation solutions capable of bearing large loads with high lateral resistance and are often designed for bridges and other large structures. These shafts have economic benefits as well. By eliminating the need for a large number of piles and the associated concrete caps, this reduces material costs and the time needed for labor.
Technical Details of Drilled Shaft Construction
A hole with the intended design depth and diameter for a planned shaft is drilled first to the prescribed parameters. Full-length reinforcing steel is then lowered into the hole before it’s filled with concrete. Later on, this finished foundational element is excellent for resisting compressive, uplift, and lateral loads.
These drilled shafts can be put in place by the dry, stabilizing polymer drilling slurry, or steel-cased methods. A variety of methods and materials can be used depending on your situation and needs. We have the expertise to manage drilled shafts in a wide range of ground conditions and still accommodate large axial, lateral, and overturning forces.
An Assortment of Shaft Casings for Your Needs
Many factors can influence the particular challenges of your drilled shaft. There could be underground boulders, groundwater, caving soils, granular soils, sidewall loss, and more. For scenarios that require open hole shaft installation, a temporary casing option might be required. It depends on the adverse subsurface conditions mentioned above, but a temporary casing can be inserted to add reinforcement and later removed once the shaft is completed.
Pittsburgh Pipe is dedicated to your satisfaction and delivering high-quality products. We are committed to finding the right solution for your situation and delivering the highest performance in all the materials we supply. Our reputation for rigid quality standards, plus exceptional customer service and industry knowledge, has taken off with contractors across the country. To learn more about our products and range of services, contact Pittsburgh Pipe today.
