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Micropiles
an Introduction
GeoProfound Engineering Sdn Bhd

Micropiles - Timeline
z 1952 - First introduced in Italy for foundation restoration
(underpinning) of WWII damaged buildings
z 1960’s – Widely used in Europe for underpinning old
sensitive structures
z mid 70’s – First introduced in USA (New York &
Boston)
z 1980’s – Being introduced in East Asia
z Today – ‘Micro-mini Revolution’ worldwide

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Micropile Applications
z Rock Socketting – where driven piles cannot
penetrate.
z Supporting New Loads in Congested Areas
z Seismic Retrofit
z Arresting Structural Settlement
z Resisting Uplift/Dynamic Loads
z Underpinning
z Excavation Support in Confined Areas

Different Types of Micropiles

Flexibility – Suits
the soil, Suits your
needs…

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Benefits of Micropiles

No.1
Reason
When you have
problems of low
headroom and
restricted
access…

Benefits of Micropiles
No.2 Reason :
High Performance
•Loading fr 3 – 500 tons!
•Higher As/Ac compared to RC Driven pile
As Micropile 4-8% vs As RC Pile <3%
-> Better in Bending, Lateral Loading
Shear resistance, Seismic performance

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Benefits of Micropiles

High
As/Ac

Good for

High
Lateral/
Seismic
Loading

Benefits of Micropiles
No.3 Reason :
Can Penetrate Anything
• Drilling thru stiff clay, sandstone, timber,
granite (except buried steel).
•Easier penetration in rock compared to bored pile.

By various creative ways

of drilling…

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Benefits of
Micropiles Can penetrate
anything…
Wash Boring – Roller (Tricone) Bit

Auger

Buried
Steel
Down Hole Hammer

Use Down-Hole-Hammer with Air Compressor to drill thru Rock/Granite

Benefits of Micropiles
No.4 Reason :
Flexibility
(Many Ways) to adjust to
difficult soils…
• Enhance End Bearing
•‘Cross-Breed’ with other Ground
Improvement technique…

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Typical Pile Loading

Capacity (Geotech+Structural)
Depending on soil & pile structure, some typical
working loads :
z Dia 250mm, Rebar 6T25, 5m socket in
Granite rock - (70+ tons)
z Dia 250mm, API Pipe As/Ac=8%, 40m in soft
soils - (100 tons)
z Dia 150mm, Rebar 3T25, 20m thru soft clay
+ hard sandy silt end-bearing - (50 tons)

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DESIGN PILE CAPACITY

In SOIL (Typical Design using SPT Values)
Skin Friction, fs = 2N kN/m2
End Bearing, fb = 400N/3 or 10000 kN/m2

DESIGN PILE CAPACITY

In ROCK (Socketing)
Skin Friction – Use extrapolation of SPT
(e.g.Granite N=300-500, Sandstone N=200)
fs = 2N kN/m2
Or use Rowe & Armitage (1987):
Skin Fric, fs=0.45 to 0.6(qu)0.5
Zhang & Einstein (1998):
End Bearing, fb = 3.0 to 6.6(qu)0.5

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Structural Capacity of Piles

Typical Reinforcement = Rebar T16, 20, 25, 32

Ultimate Axial Load:

fu = 0.4*fcu*Ac + 0.75*fy*As

Example : 6Y25 rebar in φ250mm micropile, grout

grade 30MPa, fy=500 N/mm2
fu = 1693kN = 169tons

CO$T
RM$150–350 /meter
Price Depends on :
z Reinforcement Type
z Rock Socketing ?
z Volume (φ) of hole
z Grouting Method (any post grouting)
z Location - Accessibility
z Length/Quantity of piles

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Production
Typical Production
Wash Boring Φ250mm x 25m,
Drag/roller bit, 4T25 cage,
silty soil,3m casing 2 piles/day

-ditto- sandstone/granite socket 2m, DTH

Hammer 2-3 piles/day

Typical Manpower Requirement

e.g. 100 micropiles, wash bore, φ250mm, 20m, 2 rigs.

Rig (2 No.) 1x2 driller

2x2 helpers Can cut down to
only 8-9 men for
Fabrication 1 welder concurrent
2 general workers activity planning
& utilising ready
Grouting etc 2 @ grout mixer mix or slurry
1 @ agitator tank pump mixer,
steel pipe &
1 pump operator
crane.
1 hoseman
Production >4
TOTAL 14 men piles/day/rig

Production 3 piles/day/rig
Overall cost reduction ~ 20-30% by increased production.

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Typical Site Setup

Grouting
Clearing of Plant
new area for Entrance/
setting out Delivery

Air
Compressor
Preparing
to grout
pile here

Ac
Water Tank

ce
Current

ss
Drilling

Rd
Location

Fabrication
Yard
Drilling
Pump

Small Quantity – Small Piles

For small sites,
use simpler
rigs with lower
torque, faster
RPM…
(depending on soil type)
e.g. SI rigs

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Small/Constrained sites -
SI Rig/ Portable Drill frame
e.g. ‘Jacro’ is the solution!

Big Quantity, Small machines…

Tmn Kotamas, Kota Tinggi, Johor

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Small Quantity, Big machine…

JB Inner Ring Road

Johor Bahru

Big Quantity, Big machine…

Vibro unit…

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Drilling Tools
Drilling Rig (Flexible) – Size, Rotary Torque, RPM, maneuverity
Drilling Type – Wash Bore, Dry Auger, DTH hammer (Rock Drill)
Drill Bit & Rods – Drag Bit, Roller Bit, DTH (flat/convex), Tubex.
Pump – Recirculating fluid – Diaphragm pump / Piston pump.

Jack-in- Micropile

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Monitor drilling parameters :

Thrust Force on Drilling bit
Drilling Fluid Flow Rate & Pressure
Rotary/top drive RPM
Rotary/top drive torque
Air Compressor Output Pressure
Recirculating Fluid Viscosity

Why?
Thrust Force : The thrust force is the force acting along the
axis of the drill during cutting. The thrust force plays a significant
role in the buckling of the drill.

Torque/RPM : The Torque/RPM signifies the power needed

by the machine tool to drill the hole. Also, Torque acting on the
drill can result in torsional vibrations affecting hole quality.

500kV Transmission Line

Micropiling Works

T8
Line
2

b4

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500kV Transmission Line

Micropiling Works

T8
Line
2
After

500kV Transmission Line

Micropiling Works

T13
Line
2

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500kV Transmission Line

Micropiling Works

T8
Line
2

500kV Transmission Line

Micropiling Works

T38
Line
1

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500kV Transmission Line

Micropiling Works

T38
Line
1

500kV Transmission Line

Micropiling Works

Uplift
Load
Test

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Solutions for the Difficult Ground

www.geoprofound.com

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