Underreams

Underreamed piles have become popular again as they allow the avoidance of existing piles, whilst simultaneously providing single points of highly concentrated load-carrying capacity.

BBGE’s in-house designed tool takes advantage of the increase in power and torque available from modern piling machines. Experience to date suggests that under-reams can now be dug significantly faster than has been the case before. The tool is able to deal with claystones, a traditional hazard for under-reaming; it easily cuts through them.

An on-board camera system fitted to the tool enables the rig driver to see what is happening down the hole, and this has helped with digging efficiency and the base cleaning protocol. The base of the underream is inspected and tested remotely from the surface, with a U100 clay sample recovered and brought to the ground surface.

Together, all this means that BBGE underreamed piles can be relied upon to provide a sustainable foundation solution.