Abstract: A structural assembly and a method are disclosed for an improved foundation element post-grouting technique incorporating a piston arrangement that consists of a barrel at the base of a pier or pile. Grout is pumped into the barrel via one or more conduits and the pressure from the grout exerts downward pressure on the barrel forcing it into the geomaterial below the foundation element and increasing the load bearing capacity of the foundation element. This assembly and method functions to contain the grout within the target grout area beneath the foundation element while simultaneously providing a means for measuring the strength of the geomaterial below the foundation element and the strain and movement associated with the geomaterial and the pier or pile.

Abstract: A structural pile assembly includes a driven pile and pressurized grout contained beneath the pile so as to exert an upward force on the pile. An enclosure, such as a bladder or bellows, is filled with grout from a reservoir via a conduit which preferably extends axially along the length of the pile and is left in place after the grout hardens. A pressure gauge measures the pressure of the grout within the enclosure, permitting the direct measurement of end bearing and side bearing capacities of the resulting pile assembly. The load bearing capacity of the pile is enhanced by the pressurized grout, and is preferably at least twice the end bearing capacity of an unpressurized pile.

Abstract: A hard rock drill barrel has a barrel portion with a downhole hammer drill disposed therein at the barrel's periphery. A pilot portion, in substantial axial alignment with the barrel but having a smaller diameter, extends distally from the barrel for inserting into a pilot shaft of slightly larger diameter than the pilot portion. In operation, the hammer drill excavates a collar around the pilot shaft when the drill barrel is rotated and supplied with pressurized air, thereby excavating a relative large diameter shaft. The drill barrel is hollow and open at its proximal end to receive and collect cuttings flushed into the shaft above the drill barrel. The piloted drill barrel is adjustable to excavate variable diameter shaft portions, enabling the placement of casing within a larger diameter shaft portion. After adjustment of the drill barrel, smaller-diameter shaft excavation proceeds beyond the casing.

Abstract: A structural pile assembly includes a driven pile and pressurized grout contained beneath the pile so as to exert an upward force on the pile. An enclosure, such as a bladder or bellows, is filled with grout from a reservoir via a conduit which preferably extends axially along the length of the pile and is left in place after the grout hardens. A pressure gauge measures the pressure of the grout within the enclosure, permitting the direct measurement of end bearing and side bearing capacities of the resulting pile assembly. The load bearing capacity of the pile is enhanced by the pressurized grout, and is preferably at least twice the end bearing capacity of an unpressurized pile.

Abstract: A core barrel has a plurality of pneumatic downhole hammer drills disposed around the perimeter of its working end for drilling piles in the ground for use in foundations, secant piles, and the like. The core barrel includes a slurry port and an air port at its top end for admitting a drilling slurry and pressurized air, which is used in driving the hammer drills and flushing cuttings from an annular kerf during drilling. A plurality of generally parallel plates form the top of the core barrel and define an air channel and a slurry channel for delivering air and slurry to the core barrel wall, where they flow freely or via conduits toward the hammer drills at the working end of the core barrel. The hammer-type core barrel is used to construct piles by first drilling an annular kerf in the ground. Circulating drilling fluid cools the working end of the hammer drills elements and washes cuttings from the kerf during drilling.

Abstract: A core barrel has a plurality of pneumatic downhole hammer drills disposed around the perimeter of its working end for drilling piles in the ground for use in foundations, secant piles, and the like. The core barrel includes a slurry port and an air port at its top end for admitting a drilling slurry and pressurized air, which is used in driving the hammer drills and flushing cuttings from an annular kerf during drilling. A plurality of generally parallel plates form the top of the core barrel and define an air channel and a slurry channel for delivering air and slurry to the core barrel wall, where they flow freely or via conduits toward the hammer drills at the working end of the core barrel. The hammer-type core barrel is used to construct piles by first drilling an annular kerf in the ground. Circulating drilling fluid cools the working end of the hammer drills elements and washes cuttings from the kerf during drilling.

Abstract: A structural pier assembly includes a cementitious pier and pressurized grout contained beneath the pier in the shaft so as to exert an upward force on the pier. An enclosure, such as a bladder or bellows, is filled with grout from a reservoir via a conduit which preferably extends axially along the length of the pier and is left in place after the grout hardens. A pressure gauge measures the pressure of the grout within the enclosure, permitting the direct measurement of end bearing and side bearing capacities of the resulting pier assembly. The load bearing capacity of the pier is enhanced by the pressurized grout, and is preferably at least twice the end bearing capacity of an unpressurized pier.

Abstract: A core barrel has a plurality of pneumatic downhole hammer drills disposed around the perimeter of its working end for drilling piles in the ground for use in foundations, secant piles, and the like. The core barrel includes a slurry port and an air port at its top end for admitting a drilling slurry and pressurized air, which is used in driving the hammer drills and flushing cuttings from an annular kerf during drilling. A plurality of generally parallel plates form the top of the core barrel and define an air channel and a slurry channel for delivering air and slurry to the core barrel wall, where they flow freely or via conduits toward the hammer drills at the working end of the core barrel. The hammer-type core barrel is used to construct piles by first drilling an annular kerf in the ground. Circulating drilling fluid cools the working end of the hammer drills elements and washes cuttings from the kerf during drilling.

Abstract: A core barrel has a plurality of pneumatic downhole hammer drills disposed around the perimeter of its working end for drilling piles in the ground for use in foundations, secant piles, and the like. The core barrel includes a slurry port and an air port at its top end for admitting a drilling slurry and pressurized air, which is used in driving the hammer drills and flushing cuttings from an annular kerf during drilling. A plurality of generally parallel plates form the top of the core barrel and define an air channel and a slurry channel for delivering air and slurry to the core barrel wall, where they flow freely or via conduits toward the hammer drills at the working end of the core barrel. The hammer-type core barrel is used to construct piles by first drilling an annular kerf in the ground. Circulating drilling fluid cools the working end of the hammer drills elements and washes cuttings from the kerf during drilling.

Abstract: A drilled, cast-in-place shell pile in the form of a cementacious pipe surrounding an earthen core. The pile is cast in an annular kerf drilled in the soil with a rotating hollow cylindrical core barrel. The earthen core within the annular kerf remains in place to form the core of the shell pile and act as a form. The cylindrical shell of the pile transfers load from above to the soil mass below through skin friction, and may be reinforced against tension loads by a plurality of reinforcing bars. The earthen core has end bearing capabilities to assist in transferring loads from above. Soil excavated from the annular kerf may be mixed with cement to form a cementitious soil/cement mixture to be pumped into the annular kerf to form the cylindrical shell. This cementitious mixture, while in a fluid state, is pumped into the excavation as the core barrel is removed. A mixing/circulating unit is provided for on-site mixing of dry cement with the cuttings and other materials to form the cylindrical shell.

Abstract: A relatively large diameter core barrel has a plurality of diamond cutting elements disposed around the circumference of its working end for drilling piles in very hard ground, such as metamorphic rocks and igneous rocks. Each cutting element is designed for quick and simple replacement in the field. The cutting elements are of diamond composition, and provide a substantially flat cutting face for cutting principally through abrasion at the interface of the cutting element and the hard ground to be drilled.Piles are constructed using the diamond-tipped core barrel by first drilling an annular kerf in the ground. Circulating drilling fluid cools the diamond cutting elements and washes cuttings from the kerf during drilling. The drilled core may be removed, or it may remain in situ, with the kerf being filled by cementitious material or by a structural steel casement to form a very strong pile.

Abstract: A telescopic kelly bar assembly for use in drilling large excavations. The kelly assembly consists of a lower outer bar section, at least one middle bar sections and an upper inner bar section. Each bar has its own driver that either rests on top of the next size larger bar or is engaged to the rotary. The driver that is engaged on the rotary depends on which bar is the extended bar in the shaft excavation, since the driver that is engaged to the rotary is the driver of the bar that is extended in the shaft. The entire assembly is suspended by a swivel attached to a multi-part traveling block. When a bar is driven it is either driven by its driver via the rotary or by the next size smaller bar within the rotary. Lugs are added on the inside of the outer and middle bars at the top. If a round cross-section is used, the inside lugs transmit torque when fully extended from one bar to another. A thick ring is welded to the bottom of the middle bar and upper inner bar.

Abstract: A large shaft over-reamer apparatus and method using a driver means and a detachable reamer cutter means. The driver means may include a work platform for personnel to work on. The driver means is positioned in a drilled pilot hole for stability and vertical control. The top of the driver means is attached to a kelly bar that transmits rotational force to the driver. The driver means has lug pins to releasably connect the driver means to the reamer cutter means. Releasably connecting the driver means to the reamer cutter means allows the reamer cutter means to be left inside the shaft or hole while the kelly bar lifts out excavated material in a bucket attached to the driver means. The reamer cutter has radial cutters and wiper blades. The wiper blades help funnel the excavated materials to a bucket.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for placing cementitious material into an excavation using a mobile unit having an extendable flexible hose mounted on a power driven hose reel. Cementitious material is pumped through the hose and out the hose end into an excavation as the flexible hose is reeled out of the excavation. A weight at the end of the hose keeps the end of the hose from jetting itself about during the pumping operations. An extendable hose boom positions the end of hose over an excavation and directs the hose into the excavation and out during pumping.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft vehicle in which a ducted fan with upwardly directed inlet discharges air generally horizontally across a segmented circular wing. Said wing segments are individually controllable in pitch and each includes a spoiler and split flaps to increase effectiveness and sensitivity in lifting and controlling the aircraft. Directional stability and thrust for horizontal movement is provided by controls directing different proportions of total airflow to the various segments around the aircraft and varying the direction of said airflow both radially and vertically. Power failure protection is provided by means for maintaining free rotation of the fan until needed to provide lift at touchdown.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for placing cementitious material into an excavation using a mobile unit having an extendable flexible hose mounted on a power driven hose reel. Cementitious material is pumped through the hose and out the hose end into an excavation as the flexible hose is reeled out of the excavation. A weight at the end of the hose keeps the end of the hose from jetting itself about during the pumping operations. An extendable hose boom positions the end of hose over an excavation and directs the hose into the excavation and out during pumping.