Casting In Situ Concrete Piles and Diaphragm Wall Panels in Cold Weather in the UK
The FPS has produced a guidance note on best practice in casting in situ concrete piles and diaphragm wall panels in the ground during cold weather in the UK.
Electronic Bearing Pile Schedule
The FPS has produced an Excel based spreadsheet to assist with the provision of pile design schedules.
View information and download the spreadsheet
Guidance on the use of the schedule
Concrete Cube Testing
Materials laboratories generally use their own format to report concrete test results. The contractor receiving the report, however, may deal with a number of laboratories, and therefore receives reports in a number of different formats. This can be confusing and time consuming, particularly if the raw data has to be manipulated or re-entered in order to transfer it to a database.
Additionally, laboratories may be asked by clients to customise the results, which can also be time consuming and less efficient. In order to streamline and make the process more efficient, the FPS have agreed with laboratories to trial a standard format. UKAS have confirmed that this is suitable for use by Registered Laboratories.
FPS Members have prepared the Excel spreadsheet based template and have agreed to use it unamended (to ensure that laboratories are not subject to variations). The FPS would welcome feedback from laboratories and contractors.
View Concrete Cube Testing Template
The legacy of unexploded explosive ordnance (UXO) occasionally leads to problems on construction projects in the UK. These problems have led to delays and increased costs, especially during the groundwork phases of construction. The CIRIA guide “Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) – a construction industry guide” presents industry best practice for the assessment and management of UXO risk for construction projects. This note summarises some aspects relevant to piling and ground improvement contractors.
Safety in Design
Guidance on the application of CDM 2007 to pile foundations and embedded retaining walls, and examples of hazards associated with such works and how these might be managed within the design phase of a project.
This document reports the results of a survey of over 200 projects carried out between July and September 2006 and highlights many shortcomings in the quality of Site Investigation Reports.
This document is a list of excerpts from published sources on the subject of minimum requirements for a site investigation.
This guidance covers the key issues related to working platforms constructed using stabilised materials. These comprise hydraulically bound materials (HBM), mixtures that set and harden by hydraulic reaction. They also include CBM (i.e. mixtures based on the fast setting and hardening characteristics of cement) and hydraulically bound mixtures based on slower setting and hardening binders made from industrial by-products such as PFA and blast furnace slag.
The new edition of the ICE Specification, to be published later in 2007, will be a radical overhaul of the first edition. A presentation at the ICE on 10 January outlined the changes and discussed the implications for technical development in the piling industry. Click here to download the full presentation.
Links to the Handbook on Pile Load Testing and FPS Datasheets on Pile Load Testing
Information to assist the decision whether or not a particular bentonite will produce a satisfactory support fluid. Guidance on the preparation, use, re-use and disposal of the bentonite slurry, and also on methods of testing.
Technical considerations related to the use of debonding foam on pile reinforcement
Breaking Down of Piles
The adoption of a suitable pile breaking method can result in financial and program savings and, most importantly, will address and reduce potential health and safety issues. In this document, the FPS consider the different methods available.
FPS Position on the use of CIRIA Report PR11.
A list of helpful guidance documents published by the Environment Agency.