Pore water pressure and settlements generated from water driven DTH-drilling : - A field study

Abstract: Foundation work can cause damage to adjacent buildings and infrastructure. Drilling is performed in sensitive areas in urban projects and where the ground conditions are difficult. It is important to be aware of the installation effects from drilling. Pneumatic drilling is commonly used in production but hydraulic drilling is advised in sensitive areas. Hydraulic drilling is believed to cause less disturbance in the ground, although there are no available field studies regarding the installation effects induced by water driven drilling.By measuring the pore water pressure and the settlements during the installation of a RD-pile wall the magnitude and extent of the installation effects induced by water powered DTH drilling is investigated in fill material and esker material. The results indicate settlements close to the installed piles in both materials, larger in the esker material. The pore pressure shows both increases and decreases in the esker material, the decreases implies the Venturi effect is present in water driven drilling. The pore water pressure changes are larger at the measurement point furthest away from drilling in the fill material but the settlements are the smallest there. The largest increases of the pore pressure are seen when the hammer flushes water out into the formation and not during drilling.