Bored piles are not economic in granular soils where loosening and disturbance of surrounding ground

can cause excessive removal of soil and induce settlement in the surrounding area.

METHOD STATEMENT FOR BORED PILING

GENERAL

The method statement for bored piling below describes the whole construction procedures including
material and equipment required for the construction of bored cast-in-situ piles

Detail of the procedures contained herein maybe reviewed periodically and modified based on actual
requirement

The piles to be constructed will be of a nominal specified diameter, bored through overlying soils to
found in the bedrock strata or remain in the soil to act as shaft friction and end bearing piles. The
piles are designed by the Engineer to resist axial compressive loads.

BORED PILES CONSTRUCTION

The pile boring operations shall be performed using the suitable rotary drill rigs depends on the
diameter, depth, soil condition and construction method.

If necessary, the bore-holes shall be stabilized with a temporary casing in the upper layer (depends
on soil and site condition) .The length of the casing will be determined from the actual soil condition
encountered on site. Bentonite shall be used for unstable subsoil condition and for piles equal and
more than 1800mm diameter.

SETTING OUT

The location of permanent bored piles shall be set out and pegged by the subcontractors
surveyor based on approved setting out drawings from consultant and control points at site. The
surveying details of each location to be recorded incorporating reduced level and coordinates.

Each individually surveyed pile position shall be protected from disturbance prior to
commencement of boring works.
Two reference points to be installed equidistant at not less than 2.0m from the pile centre
location. A pilot hole of about 3-6metre deep shall be drilled at the pile location. The eccentricity
and alignment of the pilot hole is then checked.

DRILLING

Prior to commencing any operations, the client representative will be required to verify all associated
technical information such as presence of services, pile coordinates, platform and cut-off levels,
validity of drawings etc.

Then, if necessary, after accurately setting out of the pile location by a land surveyor, a temporary
casing will be set in position with length of casing to be determined from ground condition. The
vertical accuracy of the casing will be checked during the installation process using 2 numbers of
plumb bob.

Excavation of the soil inside the casing/bored holes will be carried out using the rotary kelly bar and
the auger or bucket method.

The drilling process will be continued to the designed founding depth or to the commencement of
rock head level by using augers and drilling buckets.

Pile lengths shall be as per the current construction drawings or as otherwise instructed by the
client/Engineer.

At the point of encountering the rock (as define in the contract specification) head level, for
examples, where the soil drilling tools are unable to penetrate the strata any further, boring shall
cease in order that the clients representative may verify the occurrence and confirm the rock
socketing criteria.

For drilling through rock, rock drilling tools shall be applied. This shall include rock auger, core
barrels, (round shank, roller bit) cross cutters and where necessary, chisels.

The final toe level of the pile shall be verified by the clients representative. A detailed record of all
encountered ground conditions together with the associated times and type of equipment and
materials used will be recorded in the Pile Bore Log.
 Upon reaching the final depth, loose and re-moulded material and debris will be removed using
cleaning bucket. The cleaning bucket is a specially design flat bottom bucket which will pick up all
the loose material at the bottom of the hole. The based of the hole shall be checked by the
measuring the depth of the base.

BENTONITE

The bentonite is delivered to site in 50kg per bags, which are stored under cover. The bentonite
is mixed by high turbulence mixers and the slurry is stored in a pool. The size of the pool shall
have a storage capacity of about 400 cu.m.

A laboratory is provided on site for regular testing of the slurry. The minimum frequency of
testing and the acceptable range of physical characteristics of the bentonite slurry are given in
Appendix 1. Laboratory reports are kept during the construction period.

Apparatus available in the site laboratory includes the following:

1 mud balance (density test)

1 marsh cone ( viscosity test)

1 sand screen set ( sand content test)

Paper for measuring Ph

Contaminated bentonite slurry will be discarded by mixing with the earth and transport to
dumping area.

Bentonite will be used as a drilling fluid to stabilize the bored hole. During the boring process,
the bentonite slurry is kept as high as possible within the casing and well above the existing
ground water

Upon completion of boring, the bottom of the bored hole is thoroughly cleaned with the cleaning
bucket prior to recycling of the bentonite. A submersible turbine pump attached to the tremie
pipe is lowered to the bottom of the bored hole. The bentonite, loaded with soil particles in
suspension, is drawn off from the bottom of the bored hole and recycled through a Caviem or
 equivalent recycling unit. The process is continued until the bentonite arriving from the base of
bored hole had been flush out.

INSTALLATION OF STEEL CAGE

The reinforcement cage will be fabricated in lay-down sections. The length, type and size of the steel
cage will be according to contract drawings and specifications.

The cages will be provided with stiffening rings and others accessories to enable handling, lifting and
installation without permanent deformations.

Cages will be installed into the bored hole using a service crane of the required lifting capacity

Concrete spacers wired to the cage shall provide lateral support and ensure adequate concrete
cover. Spacers shall be placed at 3 equal levels of each 12m cage with 3 nos at each level. If the
diameter of bored pile more than 2000mm the spacers shall be placed more than 3 nos to be
advised by consultant representative.

CONCRETING

All pile shall then be concreted by using the tremie method.

Concrete of higher slump (=175mm+25mm) shall be used for tremie method. The self-compacting
mixed concrete will be discharged through a tremie pipe, which is lowered centrally to the bottom of
the bored hole prior to filling it with concrete. Concrete level of the borehole was recorded after each
concrete truck discharged and graph will be plotting against theoretical.

One length shall be continuously embedded in the concrete during this process to ensure that the
discharge of concrete is below the level of the impurities, which might be present in the top part of
the rising head of concrete.

All testing and sampling of the concrete shall be carried out as instructed by the Engineer or
Engineers representative. A complete record of all cubes taken shall be maintained in a proper form
and slump test results shall be recorded on the Delivery Order and the Pile Bore Log. All
compressive concrete tests will be carried out at the suppliers laboratory and independent lab. The
client will be notified of the dates of the test by regular issuance in order the tests maybe witnessed.
For a continuous assurance of concrete quality and integrity, concrete will be poured to minimum
0.6m above the theoretical cut-off level.

All completed piles shall be temporarily barricaded and to be backfilled to ground level with a
suitable material the next day.

SPOIL REMOVAL

Spoil from piles will be cleared from the boring locations by means of an excavator as boring
proceeds.

Depending on the volume of spoil excavated, it will be removed to stockpile area or spoil pit, for
drying before loading and removed off-site.

IS 2911 (Part 1/Sec 2) : 2010

In case of flushing with water or bentonite slurry, the
pump capacity shall be suitably decided depending
on depth and diameter of bore so that sufficient
pressure is built to lift the material up along with the
fluid. Flushing should be continued till coarse
materials cease to come out with the overflowing
fluid. The finer materials will normally remain
suspended in the fluid but they do not pose any
problem. Alternatively, air lift technique may be
used for cleaning of bore hole, if required.
8.4 Tremie Concreting
Concreting for bored piles shall be done by tremie
method. The following requirements are particularly
to be followed for tremie concrete work:
a) The concrete should be coherent, rich in
cement (not less than 400 kg/m3
) and of
slump between 150-180 mm;
b) The tremie should be water-tight throughout
its length and have a hopper attached to its
head by a water-tight connection;
c) The tremie pipe should be large enough in
relation to the size of the aggregate. For
25 mm down aggregate, the tremie pipe
should have a diameter not less than
200 mm. For 20 mm down aggregate, tremie
pipe should be of diameter not less than
150 mm. All piling above 600 mm diameter
piles, should, however preferably be done
with 200 mm diameter tremie pipe;
d) A steel plate or a ball is placed at the bottom
of the hopper and the hopper is filled with
concrete. The first charge of concrete is sent
down the tremie by removal of this plate or
ball. Additional concrete is then added into
the hopper and by surging action is pushed
down the tremie and into the pile bore to the
bottom of the pile. Theoretically, a small part
of the first charge which gets contaminated
is supposed to be the top of the rising
concrete within the bore;

e) The tremie pipe should always be kept full

of concrete and should always remain at least
one meter into the concrete in the bore hole
with adequate margin against accidental
withdrawal of tremie pipes;
f) The pile should be concreted wholly by
tremie and the method of deposition should
not be changed midway to prevent laitance
from being entrapped within the pile;
g) All tremie pipes should be cleaned before
and after use; and
h) A sliding plug of polystrene or similar
material lighter than water and approved by
the Engineer-in-charge or his representative
shall be placed in the tremie pipe to prevent
direct contact between the first charge of
concrete in the tremie and the bentonite
slurry.
8.4.1 Normally concreting of the piles should be
uninterrupted. In exceptional cases of interruption of
concreting, it shall be resumed within 1 or 2 h, but
the tremie shall not be taken out of the concrete.
Instead it shall be raised and lowered from time-totime to prevent the concrete around the tremie from
setting.
8.4.2 In case of withdrawal of tremie out of the
concrete, either accidentally or to remove a choke
in the tremie, the tremie may be introduced 60 cm to
100 cm in the old concrete and concreting resumed
as mentioned in 8.4.1. The fresh concrete will
emerge out of the tremie displacing the laitance and
scum and prevent impregnation or laitance of scum
in the fresh concrete.
8.4.3 The top of concrete in a pile shall be brought
above the cut-off level to permit removal of all
laitance and weak concrete before capping and to
ensure good concrete at the cut-off level. The
reinforcing cages shall be left with adequate
protruding length above cut-off level for proper
embedment into the pile cap.
8.4.4 Where cut-off level is less than 2.5 m below
the ground level, concrete shall be cast to a minimum
of 600 mm above cut-off level. For each additional
0.3 m increase in cut-off level below the working
level, additional coverage of minimum 50 mm shall
be allowed. Higher allowance may be necessary
depending on the length of the pile. When concrete
is placed by tremie method, concrete shall be cast
up to the ground level to permit overflow of
concrete for visual inspection or to a minimum of
one metre above cut-off level. In the circumstances
where cut-off level is below ground water level, the
need to maintain a pressure on the unset concrete
equal to or greater than water pressure should be
observed and accordingly length of extra concrete
above cut-off level shall be determined.

1. PILE BORING

1. Hydraulic rig/manually operable auger should be mobilized at the required location

2. Four reference points (making two lines perpendicular to each other) should be marked for
checking centre of pile bore during boring of pile.
3. Initial boring of about 2.0 meters is to be done using cutting tool of desired diameter of pile
4. Then boring will be carried out according to the sub-soil investigation report of that location. It
will be done using liner, bentonite or both.
5. The temporary guide casing, approximately 2.0 meter length with outside diameter equivalent to
nominal diameter of the pile, may then lowered in the bore hole. In such a case dia of cutting
tool will be little less, maximum 75 mm less than outside dia of casing for free movement in the
casing pipe during operation.
6. Position / centerline of the guide casing pipe with reference to pile reference points already
fixed around the pile location shall be checked to shift/adjust the casing pipe to ensure
proceeding of drilling at exact pile location without any deviation.
7. Boring has to be done up to the founding strata as per drawings/ pre decided depth using
intermittently bentonite slurry as per requirement. In case of requirement the bore hole is then
supplied with bentonite slurry, from bentonite installation. Bentonite circulation channel will be
made from bore hole to bentonite tank and fresh bentonite slurry will be pumped to bore hole
through hose pipes. 24 hours prior to start of pile boring, ensure that bentonite is completely
dispersed I the water and attains required density to stabilize the sides of bore hole during
drilling. Bentonite slurry of specified quality should be circulated continuously during boring
process.
8. Bentonite used to stabilize the sides of bore hole should be conforming to requirements as
listed in inspection and test plan. Density of bentonite solution should be checked during boring
 operation to ensure that the density is about 1.05 g/cc to 1.10 g/cc, marsh cone viscosity 30 to
40 and pH value 9.5 to 12.
9. Bentonite slurry is pumped by high pressure reciprocating pumps/ vertical pump into the bore
hole and the same is allowed to overflow the bore hole. The overflow slurry with bored mud/soil
etc that comes out along with bentonite slurry is passed through channels and is collected in
sediment tanks where sediments settle and bentonite can be re used. If necessary, the
bentonite may be passed through the de sander tank to remove sand particles before it is re
used.
10. Depth of pile shall be checked with sounding chain and exact depth shall be recorded in the pile
report.
11. After boring upto required depth underreaming will be done using underreamer of desirable
diameter. Completion of desired bulb cutting will be ascertained by (i) vertical movement of the
handle and (ii) using L shaped rod of length enough to reach upto bulb location from
approximately 2 feet above ground level and horizontal dimension equal to 0.5 of bulb dia
minus pile dia.

2. REINFORCEMENT CAGE LOWERING

1. Prefabricated reinforcement cage prepared as per the drawings and approved depths, is
brought and kept near pile location while boring is in progress.
2. After getting the permission from the engineer, the reinforcement cage will be gently lifted and
lowered by crane/manually into the bored hole. Necessary concrete cover will be obtained by
using the circular cover blocks already made of the same strength as of pile.
3. If the reinforcement cage is very long i.e. not possible to handle in one lift, the cage will be lifted
one by one and spot welded at the joints and then lowered inside the bored hole.
4. It is to be checked whether the reinforcement cage has reached up to bottom of the pile by
measuring from the top of the cage to the ground level.

3. FLUSHING

1. After cage lowering, 200 mm diameter tremie pipes in suitable lengths are to be lowered in the
hole. The operation is done by lowering one tremie pipe after another and connecting them
threading to maintain water tightness throughout its length till the gap between the pile base
and Tremie is between75 100 mm. the tremie pipe is locked/supported from top to maintain
the level and funnel is attached on top.
2. The tremie head to be provided to the tremie pipe for the flushing activity. The bore is flushed
by fresh bentonite slurry through the tremie head. The pumping for flushing is done by use of
mud circulation pump. Flushing will be done to remove all the loose sediments which might
 have accumulated on the founding strata. Further, the flushing operation shall be continued till
the consistency of inflowing and out flowing slurry is similar.

4. PILE CONCRETING

1. The concrete placing shall not proceed if density of fluid near about the bottom of borehole
exceeds 1250 kg/m3.
2. Determination of the density of the drilling mud from the base of the borehole shall be carried
out by taking samples of fluid by suitable slurry sample approved by the engineer in charge, in
first few piles and at suitable interval of piles thereafter and the results recorded.
3. After flushing is completed, tremie head should be removed and funnel should be attached to
the tremie pipe.
4. The slump of the concrete will be maintained at 150 mm to 200 mm.
5. Concreting operation will be carried out using the 200 mm diameter trmie pipes.
6. Initial charge of concrete should be given in the funnel using a plug. Total concrete quantity in
the funnel should be more than the volume of the entire pipe plus free space below the tremie.
This will ensure a water tight concrete pouring through tremie.
7. Lifting and lowering is repeated keeping sufficient concrete in funnel all the time. As the
concreting proceeds the tremie pipe are to be removed one by one, taking care that the tremie
pipe has sufficient embedment in the concrete until the whole pipe is concreted. Sufficient head
of green concrete shall be maintained to prevent inflow of soil or water in to concrete. Placing of
concrete shall be a continuous process from the toe level to top of pile.
8. The concrete is poured in the funnel. As the concrete reaches the top of the funnel, the plug is
lifted up to allow the concrete to flow corresponding to the placing of each batch of concrete.
9. The concreting of pile is to be done up to minimum of 300 mm above the cut off level to get
good and sound concrete at cut off level.
10. After completion of concreting tremie, funnel and other accessories are to be washed properly
and kept greased in proper stacking condition near next pile location.
11. While doing under water concreting 10% extra cement over and above the design mix
requirement should be added in each batch.