The processing of pile heads is an essential step after the production of in-situ concrete piles. In order to create a stable and permanent connection between the piles and the building structure, the upper part of the pile must be processed accordingly. This includes exposing the reinforcement and removing the excess concrete. While traditional methods such as caulking and hydraulic hammers are widely used, there are increasingly efficient and safer alternatives. There are different pile cropping methods. They differ in many respects in terms of efficiency, work safety and environmental friendliness.
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Why are pile cropping methods necessary?
Once a cast-in-place concrete pile has been constructed, the upper part of the pile often exceeds the planned final height. One of the reasons for this is that the concrete is placed irregularly during installation and can extend beyond the intended pile height. In addition, dirt or mortar residue often collects on the surface. In order to ensure a force-fit connection between the pile and the structure on top of it, it is necessary to ensure that the pile is installed correctly:
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The excess concrete must be removed
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Expose the reinforcement without damaging it
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The final surface height can be produced exactly
Classic pile cropping methods
1. treatment with hand-held demolition hammers
This method is the most conventional and is still frequently used. The excess concrete is knocked off with electrically or pneumatically operated demolition hammers until the desired height is reached and the reinforcement is exposed.
Advantages:
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Low investment costs for devices
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Flexible use, especially for piles that are difficult to access
Disadvantages:
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High physical strain for the workers
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Increased health risks, in particular due to HAVS syndrome (hand-arm vibration syndrome)
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Slow operation and high noise levels
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Risk of damage to the reinforcement
2. hydraulic hammer on carrier device
Here, the concrete is removed using a mechanical hydraulic hammer. This method is a mechanized version of chiselling, but with more powerful machines.
Advantages:
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Faster processing than with hand-held hammers
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Reduces the physical strain on workers
Disadvantages:
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High noise pollution and strong vibrations
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Risk of micro-crack formation in the remaining pile
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Possible damage to the reinforcement
3. pile breaker
A pile breaker is a mechanical solution in which several hydraulically operated press cylinders break off the pile head in a controlled manner. This method is particularly suitable for large construction projects.
Advantages:
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High efficiency with standardized pile diameters
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Reduces the physical strain on workers
Disadvantages:
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Limited flexibility, as only certain pile sizes or no pile walls can be processed
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High use of equipment, therefore often uneconomical for smaller construction projects
4. blasting method
In this process, small explosive charges are inserted into boreholes to remove the excess concrete.
Advantages:
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Fast and efficient for large quantities
Disadvantages:
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Subject to approval, high regulatory requirements
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Dangerous for surrounding structures due to uncontrolled cracks
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High safety requirements and specially trained personnel required
Challenges with traditional pile cropping methods
Many of the classic methods have considerable disadvantages, particularly with regard to:
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Occupational safety: Hand-guided methods in particular lead to severe health risks (noise, vibrations, dust formation).
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Efficiency: Time-consuming processes that can delay construction progress.
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Environmental aspects: High noise pollution, excessive dust generation and additional disposal costs.
The optimum pile cropping method: Brextor®
Brextor® is an efficient, safe and high-quality method for pile cropping. 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 done by one person and one machine. The weather conditions have no influence here.
Brextor® offers the following advantages:
🏗 Increased construction quality
Perfect pile cropping 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.