DRIVEN PILES
PART 1 GENERAL
1.1SECTION INCLUDES
A.Driven steel piles for structure foundations.
1.2RELATED SECTIONS
A.Section 03055: Portland Cement Concrete
B.Section 03211: Reinforcing Steel and Welded Wire
C.Section 03575: Flowable Fill
1.3REFERENCES
A.AASHTO M 31: Deformed and Plain Carbon and Low-Alloy Steel Bars for
Concrete Reinforcement
B.AASHTO M 270: Structural Steel for Bridges
C.ASTM A 36: Carbon Structural Steel
D.ASTM A 252: Welded and Seamless Steel Pipe Piles
E.ASTM A 706: Deformed and Plain Low-Alloy Steel Bars for Concrete
Reinforcement
F.ASTM C 1107: Packaged Dry, Hydraulic-Cement Grout (Nonshrink)
G.ASTM D 4945: High-Strain Dynamic Testing of Deep Foundations
H.AWS D1.1: Structural Welding Code – Steel
1.4DEFINITIONS Not Used
Driven Piles
1.5SUBMITTALS
A.Pile Driving Equipment for review. Include at least the following:
1.Pile Driving Equipment Data for each proposed hammer and pile
combination.
a.Use the “Pile Driving Equipment Data” template on the
Department’s website.
b.Refer to http://www.udot.utah.gov/go/standardsreferences.
2.Manufacturer’s product data sheets, and recommended installation
instructions for each pile hammer used.
a.Include sufficient information to verify that the pile driving
equipment meets the requirements in this Section, 2.5 B and that the pile driving equipment data matches the published hammer data.
B.Certified Mill Test Reports (MTR) for pile products
1.Clearly indicate on the MTR the Carbon Equivalent (CE) if the MTR
is for ASTM A 252 Grade 3 steel and the country of origin.
C.Welding Procedures and Qualifications for review. Include at least the
following:
1.Weld Procedure Specifications as required by AWS D1.1.
2.Procedure Qualification Records when using ASTM A 252, Grade 3
steel withCE greater than 0.35 percent.
3.Welder Qualification Record for each operator, process, and
position as required by AWS D1.1.
a.Include a letter that states the certified welders have been
using the process without an interruption of more than six months since being certified.
D.Manufacturer’s Product Data Sheets and Installation Instructions for
nonshrink grout.
E.Constructed Pile Tip Elevations
1.Use the Constructed Pile Tip Elevation plan sheet in the structure
plan set.
Driven Piles
1.6ACCEPTANCE
A.The Engineer may accept pipe piles with concrete that is below the 28-day
minimum compressive strength according to Section 03055.
1.The pay factor will be applied to each pile for which the deficient
strength test(s) are below the 28-day minimum compressive strength based on the total measured pile length from the required cutoff elevation.
B.The Engineer may accept piles that do not meet the specified driving
accuracy for alignment or plan location at a reduced price provided that the piles are adequate to serve the design purpose.
1.The Engineer determines whether piles are adequate to serve the
design purpose.
a.Piles must meet at least the following to be considered
adequate to serve the design purpose: 1) The required footing clearances 2) The footing design requirements 3) Structural and geotechnical resistance (axial, lateral, and uplift)
2.The Engineer will:
a.Use the unit bid price in the Bid Schedule and the pay
adjustment factor in Table 1 to calculate the price for payment.
b.Apply the pay adjustment factors in Table 1 to
measurements made at the conclusion of pile driving and at the cut-off elevation.
Table 1 Pay Adjustment Factors For Non-Conforming Piles (for Driving Accuracy) Pay Alignment Plan Location Adjustment (% deviation from (inch deviation) Factor vertical) 1.00 2.01 to 2.50 6.01 to 7.00 0.95 2.51 to 3.00 7.01 to 8.00 0.90 3.01 to 3.50 8.01 to 9.00 0.80 3.51 to 4.00 9.01 to 10.00 0.70 4.01 to 4.50 10.01 to 11.00 0.60 4.51 to 5.00 11.01 to 12.00 Reject > 5.00 > 12.00
Driven Piles
3.The Engineer may accept rejected piles after an engineering
analysis that demonstrates that the piles are adequate to serve the design purpose.
a.The Engineer will apply a pay adjustment factor of 0.50 if a
rejected pile is allowed to remain in place.
4.The Engineer will not apply a pay adjustment factor to corrected
work.
C.The Engineer will:
1.Apply pay adjustment factors to each pile individually based on the
total measured pile length from the specified cutoff elevation.
2.Apply only the lowest pay adjustment factor (concrete compressive
strength, alignment, or plan location) for the deficient pile.
PART 2 PRODUCTS
2.1PIPE PILES
A.ASTM A 252, Grade 2 or Grade 3 as shown
1.Use new pipe pile.
B.Bottom Plate
1.ASTM A 36 or better
2.2HP PILES
A.AASHTO M 270, Grade 36 or 50 as shown
1.Use new HP pile.
2.3CONCRETE
A.Class AA(AE) concrete – Refer to Section 03055.
1.Air entrainment requirements are waived.
2.Provide a target slump of 6.5 inch.
2.4REINFORCING STEEL
A.Vertical bars
1.Uncoated. Use one of the following:
a.ASTM A 706, Grade 60. Refer to Section 03211.
b.AASHTO M 31, Grade 60 meeting the ductility requirements
of ASTM A 706. Refer to Section 03211.
Driven Piles
B.Spiral bars
1.Uncoated. AASHTO M 31, Grade 60.
a.Refer to Section 03211.
2.5NON-SHRINK GROUT
A.Refer to ASTM C 1107
2.6FLOWABLE FILL
A.Refer to Section 03575.
2.7PILE DRIVING EQUIPMENT
A.Use authorized pile driving equipment, including the pile driving hammer,
hammer cushion, helmet, pile cushion, and other appurtenances.
1.Obtain authorization of pile driving equipment before mobilizing the
pile driving equipment to the project site.
B.Use pile driving equipment that is capable of driving the piles to the
minimum driving resistance without exceeding 90 percent of the minimum yield stress of the pile material (0.9Fy), and without requiring more than 10 hammer blows per inch at the required driving resistance as determined by a wave equation analysis.
1.Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and installation
instructions for the pile driving equipment.
2.Use a pile hammer with at least the minimum rated energy shown.
a.Use a hammer with adjustable fuel or energy settings.
3.Use a helmet that fits the top of the pile and distributes the hammer
blow uniformly and concentrically to the pile head.
a.Use a helmet with a machined surface to fully engage the
end of the pile.
4.Use equipment that provides concentric impact for each blow and
that maintains the specified driving accuracy.
a.Use leads that align the pile and the hammer in proper
positions throughout the driving operation.
5.Use equipment and methods that will drive piles to the specified
driving accuracy.
6.Verify the thickness and condition of the hammer cushion in the
presence of the Engineer before beginning pile driving and after every 100 hours of pile driving.
Driven Piles
PART 3 EXECUTION
3.1PREPARATION FOR DRIVING
A.Do not begin pile driving until excavation for pile cap is complete.
B.Dewater excavation to at least 2 ft below the bottom of the pile cap.
1.Maintain lowered water level during pile foundation operations.
C.Notify the Engineer of conflicts between the designated location of new
piles and the locations of existing piles (from previous construction), existing utilities, old foundations, and other potential conflicts.
1.The Engineer will revise new pile locations as required.
D.Notify the Engineer at least seven calendar days before pile driving begins
on the project and at least five calendar days before pile driving begins on each subsequent abutment and bent foundation.
E.Predrill as shown.
1.Predrill holes with a diameter smaller than the maximum pile
dimension and sufficient to allow penetration of the pile to the required tip elevation.
F.Cut and maintain pile heads square with the longitudinal axes of the piles.
3.2PILE DRIVING
A.The Engineer establishes the pile driving criteria using the pile driving
records and the results from dynamic pile testing and dynamic analysis on production piles designated as test piles.
1.The pile driving criteria will include at least the following:
a.Required tip elevation determined from dynamic pile testing
and dynamic analysis
b.Minimum blow count
c.Minimum hammer stroke or hammer energy corresponding
to the minimum blow count
d.Hammer fuel or energy setting
B.Drive production piles according to the established pile driving criteria to
achieve the minimum driving resistance shown and the required tip elevation.
1.Remove pile top distortions before the dynamic pile testing of test
piles and before the blow count assessment for production pile acceptance.
Driven Piles
2.Complete the pile driving for piles driven from a pile driving
equipment location before moving the pile driving equipment to the next location, unless otherwise approved by the Engineer.
a.Pile driving is complete when each driven pile meets the pile
driving criteria and the specified driving accuracy, and compliance is confirmed by the Engineer.
3.Notify the Engineer if pile damage is observed during driving.
a.Do not continue driving the damaged pile
4.Re-drive piles that are raised after initial driving due to the driving of
adjacent piles.
5.Notify the Engineer if piles in a foundation do not meet the
established pile driving criteria or if driving conditions change from the test pile driving conditions.
6.Drive additional piles at the locations designated by the Engineer
when replacing damaged piles and piles that do not meet the specified driving accuracy.
C.Installation Sequence
1.Install piles in one of the following sequences when installing piles
in pile groups.
a.Start at the center of the group and proceed outward.
b.Start at the outside row and proceed progressively across
the group.
D.Driving Accuracy
1.Alignment
a.Not more than 2 percent (1:50) from vertical
2.Plan location
a.Pile head within 6 inch of plan
b.Pile no nearer than 6 inch from edge of cap
3.Do not push, pull, or otherwise move pile tops laterally after driving.
E.Pile Splicing
1.Splice no more than one pile section less than 6 ft in length, and no
more than one other pile section less than 30 ft in length for each pile.
2.Examine the driven pile section for distortion from its original shape
and for other damage from pile driving operations, before splicing pile sections.
a.Remove the damaged portion before splicing the next
segment.
3.Match the alignment of the new pile segment to the previously
driven pile segment.
Driven Piles
4.Welding
a.Butt weld the entire pile cross-section using full penetration
welds as shown, according to the authorized Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) for pile welds and conforming to the limitations of AWS D1.1, Table 4.5. 1) ASTM A 252 Grade 2 may be treated as a prequalified base metal under Group 1. 2) ASTM A 252 Grade 3 will not be considered a prequalified base metal unless the steel has a Carbon Equivalent (CE) of 0.35 percent or less. 3) Develop a Procedure Qualification Record (PQR) for all welding using Grade 3 steel or provide documentation that the chemistry of the steel meets the CE requirements.
b.Use welders qualified according to AWS D1.1, Clause 4,
Part C (Performance Qualification) for the position, process and pile size used on the project.
c.The Engineer may request nondestructive testing (NDT) of
pile welds. 1) Perform NDT, such as ultrasonic testing, according to AWS D1.1.
a.Use an NDT technician certified in the method
to be used to perform the NDT.
b.Evaluate ultrasonic defect indications
according to the statically loaded criteria of AWS D1.1.
c.The Department will reimburse the cost of the
NDT if the testing does not identify defects warranting rejection. 2) Repair welds according to AWS D1.1 if NDT identifies defects warranting rejection.
a.Retest the repaired weld using the same NDT
method that identified the defects warranting rejection.
b.NDT of repaired welds is not reimbursed.
F.Prevent water, soil, and debris from entering pipe piles before filling with
concrete.
Driven Piles
3.3DYNAMIC PILE TESTING
A.The Engineer or a Dynamic Testing Consultant will perform dynamic pile
testing on production piles designated as test piles.
1.The following piles require dynamic pile testing:
a.The first pile driven for each construction phase at each
abutment and bent.
b.One additional pile at or near the opposite end of the
abutment and bent from where the first test pile was driven if the abutment or bent foundation length is greater than 100 ft.
c.Additional test piles as required by the Engineer.
2.Dynamic pile testing is required during the driving of test piles.
a.Dynamic pile testing monitors pile driving stresses and
integrity, monitors hammer and drive system performance (including the occurrence of non-axial driving), and evaluates driving resistance.
3.A restrike dynamic test may be required if setup is required to
achieve the minimum driving resistance or if pile relaxation is a concern.
a.Allow for at least the waiting period shown or as directed by
the Engineer before the restrike dynamic test.
b.Use the same hammer that was used to perform the
dynamic pile test during initial driving.
c.Thoroughly warm the hammer immediately before beginning
the test by applying at least 20 blows to a pile other than the pile being tested, to a timber pad, or by other means acceptable to the Engineer. 1) Do not use a pile or timber pad closer than 30 ft from the pile being tested.
B.Cooperate with the dynamic pile testing, including the following:
1.Provide adequate space and conditions for the testing vehicle and
related equipment.
2.Allow for the attaching, checking, and removing of dynamic testing
instrumentation as necessary:
a.Provide a platform at least 4 ft square with a 4 ft high safety
rail equipped to be raised to the top of the pile located in the leads to provide testing personnel safe access when the attachment location is not accessible from the ground. 1) Alternatively, climb the driver leads and attach the dynamic testing instrumentation under the direct supervision of the Engineer or a Dynamic Testing Consultant.
b.Refer to ASTM D 4945 for a description of testing setup and
instrumentation requirements Driven Piles
3.Dynamic testing instrumentation will be installed after placing the
pile in the leads.
a.Allow for the time necessary to install the dynamic testing
instrumentation.
C.Drive the test pile to at least the estimated tip elevation shown and until
the dynamic pile testing and dynamic analysis indicate that the minimum driving resistance shown is achieved.
1.Reduce the driving energy transmitted to the test pile to keep
compressive driving stresses below 90 percent of the minimum yield stress of the pile material (0.9Fy).
2.Immediately realign the driving system if bending is indicated by
dynamic measurements.
D.The Engineer may require the dynamic testing of additional piles and the
reestablishing of pile driving criteria for the remaining piles within the foundation if a pile does not meet the established pile driving criteria or if the driving conditions change.
3.4PILE CUT-OFF
A.Examine the inside of pipe piles for water.
1.Notify the Engineer if water is found in the pipe piles so the piles
can be evaluated for possible damage
B.Cutting Piles
1.Receive confirmation from the Engineer that pile driving is complete
before cutting piles.
2.Remove damaged material from the tops of the piles.
3.Leave pile tops high as shown during embankment settlement and
surcharge periods.
4.Do not cut off piles to final elevations until the driving of piles
located within 30 ft is complete.
5.Cut off piles at the required elevations.
a.Use clean, straight-line cuts that are square to the pile axes.
3.5FILLING VOIDS
A.Fill voids adjacent to piles from pile driving and predrilling with flowable fill
or non-shrink grout.
3.6CONCRETE FILLING OF PIPE PILES
A.Remove water and debris from pipe piles before filling with concrete.
Driven Piles
B.Do not fill pipe piles with concrete before the Engineer confirms that pile
driving is complete for the piles being filled.
C.Avoid segregation of the concrete.
1.Use a tremie pipe or drop chute to prevent concrete from contacting
either the reinforcing steel cage or the pipe wall during placement.
a.Extend tremie pipe or drop chute below bottom of reinforcing
steel cage.
2.Arrange placement aids such as chutes and pipes so concrete
does not separate and flows freely without being pushed or shoveled.
D.Place the reinforcing steel cage into the pipe pile when the concrete
reaches the planned bottom elevation of the cage.
1.Support the cage from the top until the concrete reaches the top of
the pile and attains sufficient strength to support the cage.
2.Keep the reinforcing steel cage within 2 inch of the required vertical
location.
E.Use high frequency internal vibrators to consolidate concrete to at least 3
ft below the bottom of the reinforcing steel cage or to at least 13 ft below the pile cutoff level, whichever is deeper.
1.Do not vibrate concrete that has taken initial set.
END OF SECTION
Driven Piles
Driven Piles in other states
Utah revises spec sections through supplementals and new editions. We check this one every week and email you the day it changes. Free, no account.
Source: Utah Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction, 2026 Edition. Pages 320–330 of 1,331.
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