Breaking piles is an important part of specialist civil engineering, especially when preparing foundations for large construction projects. This process involves removing the upper concrete section of a bored pile to expose the reinforcement and ensure an optimal connection to subsequent construction elements. Professional chiseling preserves the structural integrity of the pile and creates a stable base for the structure.



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Why is breaking piles necessary?
Breaking piles is necessary to remove the top layer of concrete, which is often contaminated during the concreting process or does not reach the desired density. It is also often over-concreted to ensure that the reinforcement bars are only surrounded by clean concrete. By removing this area, the reinforcement is exposed, which enables a secure connection to the foundation slab or other construction elements. Breaking piles also improves load transfer and prevents potential weak points in the structure.
Where is breaking piles carried out?
Breaking piles takes place on a wide variety of construction sites, including building construction projects, bridge constructions, tunnel construction and infrastructure projects. Precise pile driving is particularly important in areas with complex geological conditions or confined spaces. Breaking piles may also be necessary in existing buildings, during renovation or conversion work.
Working methods and equipment for breaking piles
There are various methods and devices that are used for breaking piles. The choice of method depends on factors such as the diameter of the pile, the quality of the concrete and the site conditions.
Manual work: Use of pneumatic hammers and hand tools. This method is flexible, but labor-intensive and time-consuming.
Hydraulic demolition hammers: Suitable for larger diameters and harder concrete. They offer a high removal rate, but can cause vibrations.
Diamond drilling and sawing technology: For precise work with minimal vibration. Ideal for use in sensitive areas.
Specialized machines: Automated systems that reduce the workload and increase safety.
Diameter of the piles and their influence on the breaking process
The diameter of the piles has a considerable influence on the breaking process.
Small diameters (up to 60 cm): Often require manual or semi-automatic techniques. Processing is less time-consuming, but requires precise work.
Medium diameters (60-120 cm): Hydraulic hammers and specialized machines are used here. The processing time and effort increase with the diameter.
Large diameters (from 120 cm): Need for large machines and automated systems to make processing efficient. Safety aspects are particularly important here.
Challenges when breaking piles
There are various challenges involved in breaking piles:
Concrete quality: Different strengths require adapted techniques.
Reinforcement density: Makes it difficult to remove the concrete and requires careful work to avoid damaging the reinforcement.
Ambient conditions: Confined spaces, noise, dust and weather conditions can affect the work process.
Occupational safety: The use of heavy equipment and working in confined areas requires strict safety measures.
Increased efficiency during breaking piles
Modern techniques and equipment can significantly increase efficiency when breaking piles. Automated systems reduce manual effort, shorten processing times and improve occupational safety. In addition, optimized work processes and the use of recycled materials lead to cost savings and an improved environmental footprint.
A method that optimally combines efficiency, precision and safety is required to meet the increasing demands in the construction industry. This is precisely where our innovative solution comes in:
Brextor® is an efficient, safe and high-quality method for breaking piles. With this method, not only single piles, but also all types of pile walls (tangent, secant or contiguous) are processed gently by machine. The work is carried out by one person and one machine, whereby the weather conditions have no influence here.
Breaking piles with an innovative solution
Brextor® offers the following advantages:
🏗 Increased construction quality
Perfect pile breaking without cracks in the pile body or spalling on the pile outer skin, no bent or torn reinforcements and a height accuracy of +/- 1cm.
💵 Reduced construction costs
The demolition material consists of 80% gravel 0-30mm and can therefore be reused directly on the construction site. In addition, Brextor® requires less working space than conventional mining methods. This means that not only expenses for transportation and disposal incl. fees are saved, but the purchase and supply of replacement material is also eliminated. Furthermore, the preparatory work eliminates the need for a separating diamand cut at the final extraction level and the cleaning effort is massively lower than with conventional extraction methods.
⏱ Shortened processing time
For example, a pile with a diameter of 1 m and a height of 1 m can be processed within 40 minutes. A daily output of up to 16 piles is possible. In addition, Brextor® provides reliable performance and therefore increased planning security.
♻️ Environmentally friendly
With Brextor®, the demolition material (80% gravel 0-30mm) can be reused directly on the construction site. Brextor® also requires less working space. This saves excavation and replacement material. By reusing the demolition material directly on the construction site and saving on excavation and replacement material, transportation can be saved. In addition, landfills are less polluted.
👷 Increased health & safety at work
No heavy physical labor is required for pile processing, which massively reduces the risk of health hazards such as HAVS syndrome. Brextor® also avoids working in danger zones.
Find out more about Brextor® here:
Contact us for more information and find out how you can benefit from this revolutionary pile breaking method.
Call us on +41 41 495 05 20 or send an e-mail to info@brc.swiss. We look forward to working with you and taking your projects to the next level.